Flash your ATI video card BIOS.

You will need the following:

1. 1.44MB FDD (floppy)

2. FLASHROM utility copy

3. Compatible BIOS file for your video card. (search the manufactures website for bios details)

4. Required Drivers. (check manufactures website)

Alright now

First make an ATI BIOS flash boot disk.

-Bios flash operations for video must be performed in DOS.

-You will need a DOS boot disk, you can obtain one if you do not already ahve one at bootdisk.com, download there dr DOS image file after that run the .exe file that comes with it. Which will create a clean DOS boot disk. (if any problems folow instruction son the website)

-If you need other ways of obtaining a boot disk just post in a related thread.

Now that you have a DOS boot disk, copy the BIOS file you downloaded and the FLASHROM.exe file onto the disk.

Second
Make a backup of your ATI video card BIOS

Make a backup of your current video card BIOS before flashing the bios, incase of problems. (better safe than sorry)

-boot your computer with the boot flash-disk you had created in the first step.

-during the “A:” prompt type “flashrom.exe -s 0 backup.rom” ENTER

-now the utlity FLASHROM will make a backup of your video’s bios onto the bios flash disk (called backup.rom)

-Just in case, if we have to go back to the original bios.

Third
Flash your ATI video card’s bios

-at the A: prompt type the following to flash your video bios

-”flashbios -p 0 (name of new bios file you downloaded including the extention) hit ENTER (no brackets around the name of your new bios file)

-Flashrom will overwrite your odl bios with your new bios.

-if any errors ocured do not restart; consult troubleshooting.

-if there is a pause in the procedure, for say the bios types do not match you may use a “-f” switch to force the operation (force if certian the bios suits your video card)

Forcing the BIOS flash type:

During the thrid section instead of typing -”flashbios -p 0 (name of new bios file you downloaded including the extention)

Type

-”flashrom -f -p 0 (name of new bios file you downloaded including the extention)

-If you had made it this far without any errors and everything seems to have gone correctly, than restart your system.

-monitor the post screen for the video card info

-double check that your procedure worked and your bios has worked correctly.

-also watch to see if your OS boots correctly

-plz keep in mind that your new bios may need new up to date drivers.

Hooray! Congrats! You have successfully changed your video card’s BIOS.

Jason Barrett
http://www.computing-forums.com

An astounding and unexpected number of people are dropping their (POTS) plain old telephone system, for the latest trends in phone service, VoIP. According to Frost & Sullivan there were 100,000 VoIP users at the end of 2003. Just halfway through 2004 the number jumped to more than 500,000.

The draw to such a change is most often cost related. Traditional phone companies charge use fees and by the minute charges, coupled with long distance fees. VoIP companies are charging a flat fee somewhere between $15.00 to $30.00 US per month, for unlimited calls to anywhere in the US and Canada.

VoIP works by digitizing voice signals from your phone and sending them over the Internet via your home or business computer. While people are scrambling to make the switch and begin to count the money they are saving, they may not realize that there is a good possibility that they are cutting the link between their alarm system and the monitoring station. Another link that is lost in most cases is traditional 911 services, as VoIP does not capture data for emergency response.

When your alarm goes off due to an attempted break in, is no time to find out that the monitoring response that you have been faithfully paying for is not available for you. The Alarm Company has no way of knowing that you switched services. You should be sending a test signal monthly, to assure yourself that the system is working properly, no matter who you are connected through. Be advised that if you are using VoIP and the signal goes through, it does not mean that it will always be as clear. The volume of traffic on the Internet can and will vary the quality of the digitized signal it sends.

If you find yourself intrigued by this revolution in phone services and are dependent on alarm system dispatch as part of your security plan, you should consider the pitfalls and options.

* If power fails to the premise it is likely that your VoIP will fail also, unless your PC has a backup power source.

* You may not be able to use 911 services.

* Your signal may go through giving you a false sense of security, as it may not work next time.

* You may have already switched to VoIP and not realize that your alarm is not being monitored.

I myself have elected to utilize VoIP to save money on long distance. I also maintain a standard limited use phone line to take care of my security communications, 911 and phone backup should power fail. The (limited use) phone line, cost me less than $15.00 per month and is offset by the savings on my long distance bill.

Cellular communicators are available that will make your alarm call over any available cellular network. The device will have to be purchased for about $200.00 to $500.00, and an additional fee of approximately $10.00 per month is added to your monitoring bill.

Some alarm companies offer radio signal transmitted monitoring services, which do not depend on phone lines of any sort to transmit your alarm signal. The availability of such services is limited and depends where you live.

Alarm companies of all sizes are working with manufactures and providers of VoIP services to find ways to properly integrate Alarm Systems with these phone communications industry changes. I would expect many changes in the near future as this does not seem to be a passing fad. Be on the lookout for information on these changes, so that you can always make an informed decision.

Matthew Francis Alarms@expertsknow.com

22 year veteran of the alarm industry Installer, salesman, licensed alarm company owner, monitoring station designer, promotions and marketing director with one of the worlds largest security dealers. He now works as a consumer advocate, teaching consumers how to buy or get systems for free (without being taken). He is committed to being unbiased.

His web site is http://www.expertsknow.com

Plasma and LCD TVs are the latest trend in home entertainment. Both offer unrivalled picture quality and resolution, while doing away with the bulkiness of the older rear-projection technologies. But with all of the hype surrounding these two types of televisions, what is the difference between them? Although they look- and are virtually priced- the same, they are not.

There differences are found in the way in which they display their pictures. Plasma TV technology is made up of hundreds of thousands of little pixels, each capable of displaying red, green, and blue colors. A plasma monitor often consists of two panels, which are filled with an inert gas, such as xenon or neon. When the pixels are excited by pulses of electricity, the gas becomes liquid, thus generating light. This light in turn then illuminates the pixels, causing them to display the appropriate color to form a picture.

LCD panels function in a very similar manner. A panel of thin-film-transmitters, or TFT, sends electricity to cells filled with liquid crystal. When the cells are struck by the electricity, the liquid crystals allow light to filter through. Unlike the pixels found in plasma TVs, LCD monitors create color by blocking out the appropriate wavelengths from white light.

So which is better? The answer to this question depends upon what you plan to use TV for. Do you just want to use it to watch movies and television? If so, then a plasma TV might be best, because they are capable of a higher better color saturation and contrast than their LCD counterparts and for displaying moving images. If you plan in spending a lot of time showing digital photography or plan on using the monitor with your computer, then a LCD display might be better suited to these purposes.

Both plasma and LCD technologies each have their advantages and disadvantages and your decision should ultimately be based on your monitor’s application.

Tom Ace is the founder of Plasma tv Resources a website providing information on plasma televisions.

Someone recently asked me “I teach senior citizens in a community based free computer lab. They often ask what to look for when buying a computer, what software they need for email, basic Internet usage, word processing, etc. Many are on a limited budget. What would you suggest they need as a minimum?”

Recommendations For a New Computer

The good news is that computer prices have dropped a lot over the past few years, and the computing power you get for your money is going up! I don’t recommend used computers for anyone, because the rate of change of computer technology will render most systems nearly obsolete within three years. If you’re a computer novice, wondering what kind of computer, monitor, hard drive, memory, and operating system to get… here’s some advice to get you rolling.

Windows or Mac?

You may have friends, relatives or neighbors trying to pull you into the “Windows vs. Mac” holy wars. In my opinion, the choice of operating system really doesn’t matter. From a beginner’s perspective, each has point & click interfaces that are pretty easy to use. Both will take you to the same Internet, and enable you to send and receive email. Both offer word processing, and the documents they create are interchangeable. Because Windows-based computers make up 90% of the market, they are cheaper. It’s the law of supply and demand in operation. And in some areas, it may be hard to find technical or repair support for Apple Macintosh computers. So if you’re budget-minded, and you don’t have any friends willing to help you with Mac issues, I suggest you go with a Windows-based PC.

A good entry-level computer with monitor can be purchased for under $400, and sometimes you even get a printer in the deal. So what should a newbie look for in terms of speed, monitor, memory and hard drive specs? It doesn’t have to be all that confusing…

What about Horsepower?

The CPU (central processing unit, or “processor” for short) is the brain of your computer. In general, the faster the better. Processor speeds are measured in gigahertz (GHz) and as of this writing, the fastest models available operate at about 4 GHz. Entry-level machines start at about 1.5 GHz and are more than adequate for web surfing, email and word processing. If you see a computer with a processor that has a speed specified in megahertz (MHz), steer clear — these are older models.

Thanks for the Memory

The next decision you have to make is how much RAM memory you need. Don’t confuse RAM with hard drive (file storage) space. RAM is the temporary working memory that your computer uses to perform calculations and manipulate files. When you open a document, it is copied from the hard drive into RAM. As you and your word processor work on the file, the modified copy exists only in RAM. When you save the file, it is copied from RAM back to the hard drive, or permanent storage. And as with CPU power, the more RAM you have, the better your computer will perform. I recommend you have a minimum 256 megabytes (MB) of RAM, but with 512 MB you’ll notice better performance.

Hard (Drive) Decisions

The hard drive is your permanent file storage. All of your personal files, such as word processor documents, photos, music, and emails are stored here, in addition to software packages and the operating system. Most new PC’s come with a hard drive that’s 40 gigabytes (GB) or larger. I recommend you start with a hard drive of 80 GB or more, if you plan to keep lots of photos or music on your computer.

Go For a Large Monitor

Here’s the formula: Larger Monitor = Less Eyestrain and Less Scrolling. I recommend a 17-inch monitor, or even a 19-inch if you don’t mind spending a bit more. Don’t worry about brand names here, they’re all pretty much the same. Stay away from 14 or 15-inch monitors, they’re just too small to be practical.

What About Software?

Most of the software you need will come pre-installed on your new PC. Windows comes with Internet Explorer (for web browsing) and Outlook Express (for email). Many PC systems include a word processor, such as Microsoft Word, WordPerfect, or OpenOffice. If your computer doesn’t come with any of these, I suggest you purchase Microsoft Works, which will give you MS Word, a spreadsheet similar to MS Excel, and other useful programs.

Look for a computer that comes with anti-virus software pre-installed. If yours doesn’t come with any anti-virus package, check with your Internet service provider to see if they offer anything for free. Failing that, you can download the free AVG package.

Summary

So in a nutshell, here are my recommendations:

• Look for a Windows XP-based PC with monitor for around $400
• Processor: 1.5 GHz or better
• RAM memory: 256 MB or better
• Hard Drive: 80 GB or better
• Monitor: 17-inch or larger
• Software: Microsoft Works and AVG anti-virus

Where to Buy?

Look at your local computer store first, they may have some good deals and offer local support. Office supply and electronics stores such as Staples, Office Depot, and Best Buy are good options to explore too. If you’re comfortable buying online, check out the Dell.com or Gateway.com offerings.

BOB RANKIN …is a tech writer and computer programmer who enjoys exploring the Internet and sharing the fruit of his experience with others. His work has appeared in ComputerWorld, NetGuide, and NY Newsday. Bob is publisher of the Internet TOURBUS newsletter, author of several computer books, and creator of the LowfatLinux.com website. For more helpful articles and free tech support, visit http://www.AskBobRankin.com

Technology, some people fear it, some resist it, and others embrace it. As a small business owner, it could be the best thing that ever happened to your company. With the technology available today, small businesses are increasingly leveling the playing field between themselves and big companies. With toll free virtual PBX (Private Branch Exchange) telephone systems, small businesses are combining today’s technology with traditional customer service to take their business to the next level.

It used to be that only Fortune 500 companies with thousands of employees and 10- story office buildings could afford and maintain a traditional PBX telephone system. Now, with toll free virtual PBX services, anyone with a telephone can reap the benefits of this powerful communications tool. A virtual PBX has all the advantages of a traditional PBX and more without the hassle, hardware, and expense.

A virtual PBX allows small businesses to:

• Project a professional, more established company image
• Have one unified number for office phone, cell phone, fax, and pager
• Make information available to their customers 24/7
• Automate order taking and pre-qualifying processes
• Have web-based, real time access to their system

Small and home-based businesses are using all of these features of their toll free virtual PBX systems to sound and operate like a Fortune 500 company everyday.

Project a Professional, More Established Company Image
Right or wrong, consumers assume a company with a toll free number is a more established and secure company. When a toll free number is attached to a virtual PBX with an automated attendant, that powerful image is perpetuated. An automated attendant will answer all incoming calls with the same professional and courteous message every time, day or night. Professional greetings can be recorded by the business owner themselves, or even by a voice talent, and customized for the needs of the business. It doesn’t matter if the business is operated out of a home office or the Oval Office. The caller hears a professional greeting each and every time they call.

Unified Voice and Messaging System
With a toll free virtual PBX system, small businesses only need one telephone number. This number can be an office phone, cell phone, fax, and pager all in one. Gone are the days of having to put 3 or 4 different numbers on business cards. Now the virtual PBX toll free number replaces them all. When a call comes in to the toll free number, it can be routed to any local number. It can even be programmed to route to different numbers at different times of the day or even different days of the week. A call never has to be missed again. That kind of flexibility is unheard of with a traditional toll free number or a hardwired PBX. If the call is not answered, or is sent to voicemail, the virtual PBX system can even send out a page to let the user know that there is a message waiting for them. The toll free number also acts as the fax number. When a fax is sent, the system recognizes it as a fax and can store it in the fax mailbox for later retrieval, forward the faxed document to a local fax machine, or even send the fax to an email address as an attachment. The unified messaging feature unchains small business owners from the home or small office and allows them the flexibility to get out and build their business while still being available to their customers.

Powerful Automation
No matter how efficient a small or home-based business is, they simply cannot be available to their customers all the time - unless they have a toll free virtual PBX system. If a caller has questions they want the answers now. If they don’t get those answers when they call, chances are they’ll look some place else. Making sure information is available, even when a live person isn’t, can be the difference between someone becoming a customer or moving on to the competition. A toll free virtual PBX allows the storage of an unlimited amount of information for callers to retrieve 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Menus broken down into what kinds of information a caller might need, make it easy for them to navigate the system and get what they are looking for. Faxes can even be attached so the caller can request an automated fax back. For a business that needs to pre-qualify their callers, or would just like to get some information about them, can take advantage of question and answer voice mailboxes. A set of pre-recorded questions can be asked of the caller and the voice responses then saved in the system and emailed as a sound file. These automated processes not only save time, but they also make sure callers can get the information they need when no one is available.

Web Based System Access
A toll free virtual PBX is just that, virtual. What that means for a small business owner is that one, there is no hardware to maintain or software to buy, and two, that they can access their system from anywhere they can get online. Online system access is one of the most popular features of a virtual PBX system. Web-based system access allows users to check their voice and fax messages over the internet or have the messages delivered directly to an email address. Of course, messages can still be checked from any touch-tone phone, anywhere.

A small business owner has administrative access to check the call logs of all incoming calls to their toll free number and use the call capture feature to not only capture the phone number of the person calling, but also their name and address. It also allows a user to run reports based on different criteria chosen. For example, reports could be run to show when the busiest time of the week is for customer service or if the call volume increased after a specific ad campaign was released. The applications are endless.

With all these powerful features, and most times more, it’s amazing that toll free virtual PBX systems can be found at a reasonable price. Most systems offered are between $9.95 and $29.95 depending on the capabilities and size of the system. Many will offer a varying number of voice mail boxes, features, and minute plans. A good toll free virtual PBX service provider can also customize systems if needed.

Technology is ever changing in today’s fast paced world. Small business owners will either have to embrace it or risk being left behind.

Brandi Cummings is the Director of Marketing for Telecentrex, a leading provider of toll free virtual pbx services. To see how a virtual pbx service applies to your business click here or visit http://www.freedom800.com.

Peer to Peer (P2P) Technology- How it works:

Ever wondered how P2P works? This guide will run down most of the major P2P services and how they work. Peer to Peer technology lets people share files over a network on the internet. Most people now use what is known as the second generation of P2P, which is unlike its predecessors like such as Napter, the second generation has no centralized server, making it harder for it to shut down.

How first generation P2P services worked:

A connection is established by a peer finding another peer to connect to. Each peer exchanges active peer and their addresses. When a connection has been established, the user can then search for files. When a search has been submitted, it connects to all nodes on its connection list. The results are then displayed and a connection is made.

How second generation P2P services worked:

Gnutella2: Hubs are used to quickly search for files, eliminating the original “find peer and search” method. Instead, they store a list of files on all the “Leaves” (A peer) that are connected to it, thus dramatically reducing search time. Advantages: Unlike Napster, if a hub crashes, it’s network stays alive. Disadvantages: Doesn’t make network any more durable than the first generation of P2P. Gnutella2: www.gnutella.com

FastTrack: Programs such as Kazaa and iMesh use the FastTrack protocol. Normal peers connect to a supernode which acts jsut like a hub. Supernodes also connect to other supernodes, allowing search requests to move through the network very quickly. Peers then establish a direct connection to a client after a file has been found. Advantages: Any client can become a supernode. Disadvantages: Corruption of files occur. Clients include: Kazaa (www.kazaa.com), iMesh (www.imesh.com)

BitTorrent: .torrent files are used to store information about the file being shared. Once a torrent file is opened, the client connects to the tracker which tells the client where the file is located and what other peers/seeders there are. BitTorrent works by chunks of small files being transferred (even through multiple connections), while you are downloading. The files are checked for corruption as the download continues. Leechers are people who download and don’t upload, and are highly frowned upon on some sites, disallowing them from downloading any further. Advantages: Very fast for popular, new files. Disadvantages: Trackers are unreliable and if it goes down, the file is lost. Clients include: Azureus (www.azureus.com), Shareaza (www.shareaza.com).

EDonkey Network: Edonkey runs on the same principle as first generation P2P, only anybody can become a server. Clients communicate with the server to download files, and random chunks can be downloaded in any order then put together in the end. Advantages: No file corruption, leech penalization. Disadvantages: It can penalize users unfairly. EDonkey: www.edonkey2000.com

Infinitive!, Copyright 2005. All Rights Reserved.

Infinitive! http://www.infinate.x10hosting.com This article may be reproduced so long as your remain a link down the bottom. -Admin, Nigel.

“Why should you be afraid?”, I can hear you ask.

I just got an email from my friend Miche who said,

“My laptop is sick at the hospital. Hard Drive failure. Am praying data can be retrieved.”

Her exact words.

Ohhhh : tremors of fear running up and down my spine!

Why?

Because … and I have to be honest … I haven’t *backed up* my laptop for ages!

Oh I can hear your derisive laughter, your looks of scorn … I can feel your disbelief.

Me - of all people - admitting this. My friends call me “TechieGirl”!

Well, the best part of my friend’s scary dilemma is that it’s forcing me into action!

I’m dusting off the cd burner and plugging into the power, plugging it into the USB slot - now how *hard* was that? I’ve got a stack of blank cds gathering dust on my desk … why not use them?

Hmm … why not do a *big* backup on the first of each month, and a *mini* backup every Monday [or Tuesday or Friday … whatever works best for you]?

::::: Plan it! :::::

OK - stick with me here - open your online Diary or Appointments Database or hard-copy Diary and make an appointment *with yourself* - which part of the week could you devote say a half hour to, to do a quick backup? What about when you sit down to open the mail, or read a report, do your return phonecalls? If you work from home, why not start the backup as soon as you get out of bed so it’ll be done by the time you’ve had your walk, eaten your breakfast, and showered.

I can hear you saying, “Oh it’ll take too long … I’ll do it later … tomorrow … next week … next month …”. And then one day I’ll be getting an email or a call from you saying, “If only I’d backed up the computer …”

Imagine losing all your documents, projects, databases, passwords, software settings, names, addresses, phone numbers, email names, website links - YIKES! I’m scaring myself again!!!!

If I lost even *one* thing in that list above, I’d be in BIG trouble - REAL BIG trouble.

::::: What do I backup? :::::

Good question. The most important thing NOT to backup is your software.

You do have all the original cds, don’t you? And you made copies of those cds when you bought the software, right, as a *backup* in case the original cd failed? Didn’t you? Yeah, I thought so … no-one bothers to do that, but it’s the one thing which could save your hair from going white overnight after your computer dies.

MUST backup:

* LOGINS, ALL passwords, FTP access codes, banking details, etc. Where do you currently keep this info? Please don’t tell me it’s in a little book on your desk … oh so easy to get lost, to get put in someone else’s pocket, to go walk-about. You should have a password-protected spreadsheet or document, or even better - a password-protected database. I have a database which I open as soon as I create a new login, or add myself to a mailing list, or join a new news group etc - paste the info in *as* you create it, to ensure you’ll *never* forget it. Sure, you sometimes get confirmation emails with this data … but if your computer has *died* … get the picture? You can’t access the emails!

* CLIENT documents / projects / websites (if you’re a developer), in fact ANYTHING which could cause grief if you lost it or didn’t have a copy of it. If you’ve printed a lot of this stuff, what would you need if you had a *fire* and lost all your paper files? Think about that. Hard. Now make a list and maybe have a backup cd for each Client or group of clients, depending on your business.

* EMAIL software folder which should include ALL your emails. You do *keep* all emails don’t you? Please tell me you’re not one of those people who deletes emails as soon as you read them (business ones I mean). Have you ever considered that emails are a form of *database*? I can search my Eudora software for any word or phrase and in a nanosecond I have a list of emails relating to that item (all neatly filed in their email folders … but that’s *another* article!). I *love* Eudora’s features! Getting back to business, emails with historical information on projects are invaluable to see who said what and when they said it. It’s a timeline, tracking resource, for a project’s life.

* PHOTOS, personal, professional - unless you’re using them all the time, these can be kept on CDs on a regular basis. When you download from the digital camera, save to cd straight away and save space on your hard drive [note to “self” : follow own suggestion]. If you have photos related to a project or client, save them to the Client cd you created earlier, if there’s space.

* FINANCIALS. All your spreadsheets, MYOB or whatever other software you use to track financials. Every document which the tax department might one day want to see … for the past 7 years. Business plans, budgets, everything relating to your business which you’ll need to continue to *be* in business.

* FAXES - do you use online faxing like I do? Where every incoming fax comes into my inbox as an email? From now on, whenever one arrives, put it into a folder called FAXES or save with your client data. Faxes are also a record of what’s transpired - another form of database. Plus if you use this kind of fax service, you’re saving trees. :o>

* INSURANCE. Keep quotes etc on your computer? You’ll be needing these.

* DATABASES - all of them. A must. Trust me, you’ll kick yourself if you need one of these you didn’t bother backing up.

* COMPUTER DESKTOP. OK - what’s still sitting on your desktop which hasn’t be put away or filed yet? Probably a bunch o’stuff - clear this up before you backup, make your job that little bit easier.

* EXCEPTION to the SOFTWARE RULE above - if you’ve bought any software online, or downloaded any software or programs of any kind for which you did not receive a cd, then back it up. If you’ve still got the Installer file, save that - it’ll save time.

* BROWSER Settings - go through your browser Preferences screens, take snapshots (like printscreen) of those settings - it’ll save you a TON of time if you have to set up your email and ISP settings at a later date.

* PDFs : have you downloaded any pdfs or purchased any ebooks? Are they all in the same download folder, or in a PDF or eBook folder? You’ll want to save these.

Oh boy - I just looked at my hard drive - 222 folders of stuff - I need to do some serious sorting and computer *housekeeping* before I do a backup, otherwise it’ll take forever to sift through all that stuff! So here’s the list of things to do:

* tip : do it in bite-sized pieces, baby steps, little chunks each day

* make a list of things you want to backup - think about your client info etc

* do your computer housekeeping, put things away in folders, then put those folders in main folders to tidy up your own special filing system - do this on one day so it’s not too overwhelming

* on the next day, make sure you have spare cds - you might need a few, depending on how much filing needs to be done; go buy cds if you need to. Consider buying Read Write cds, rather than the regular cds - if you want to be able to add info to cds later.

* if you’ve got an internal cd burner in your computer, you’re a lucky dog - if you’ve got an external one, plug it in and make sure it works

* when you’re ready, start the software you need to backup (usually Toast or something similar)

* be prepared for this to take at least an hour, maybe more if you’ve got a ton of stuff, but *don’t * put it off! An hour spent now could save you *weeks* of worry and work in the future!

* when you’ve done the first *big* backup, pat yourself on the back, you’ve accomplished a very important business task!!!

While you’re feeling smug and proud of yourself, think about when you should do your next backup. How much work would you be ok about losing? One day’s worth? One week’s worth? How about a month of work? Whichever is the one you choose, make *that* the amount of time before you do your first *mini* backup. Don’t be afraid to set other backup procedures for times which suit you, your projects, your clients.

The main question you need to ask yourself is,

“How much work would it be OK to *lose* without it affecting me or my business?”

::::: DON’T FORGET :::::

Label your cds. How are you going to file them? In a cd box? Will they be in a hard plastic shell or sleeve? Where would it make sense to *see* the client name on the cover, when it’s in the box? How easily would you be able to find a cd in that box? You can write on cds with thick permanent markers, or if you’re really keen, you can print onto cd labels (available from many stationery companies).

Keep 2 backup copies.

If you don’t work at home, it might be worthwhile keeping a backup copy of the backup - one at work, one at home. Just in case.

Now that I’ve scared myself silly, I’m off to dust the cd burner and make a latte - don’t expect me to reply to your emails over the next few hours, I’m doing a backup!

© Teena Hughes is the Director of Build A Website Tonight, a website where you can build your own site online - with no skill - no fear - with no additional costs to update your site. Teena has been involved in the I.T. industry for over twenty years and has written many articles and ebooks, and loves to help people get their business started.

http://www.BuildAWebsiteTonight.com

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This article is available for reprint in your opt-in ezine, web site or ebook. You MUST agree not to make any changes to the article and the RESOURCE BOX MUST be included.

Teena Hughes (c) 2005 All Rights Reserved

If you are a building a website or a forum, chances are you are using a web editor or paying for message board services. The costs of using these “out of the box” products can add up, especially if you are trying to grow your business. Let’s look at some good “open source” options for you to consider. You may be surprised at how much money open source can save you.

What is open source? The webopedia describes it as follows: Generically, open source refers to a program in which the source code is available to the general public for use and/or modification from its original design free of charge, i.e., open. Open source code is typically created as a collaborative effort in which programmers improve upon the code and share the changes within the community. Open source sprouted in the technological community as a response to proprietary software owned by corporations.

Not all open source programs are worth downloading, but there are a few that merit further attention, including:

1. PHP Originally called Personal Home Page, PHP is the backbone of many message boards. Yes, you can use proprietary software such as vBulletin, but you will pay a licensing fee and fees for updates. For one site, the cost may not be prohibitive, but if you run several sites your costs can easily become a significant part of your budget. Search the internet for a free PHP provider such as PHPBB2.

2. Web Templates Finding decent templates does not have to cost you dearly. There are sites offering some very well made templates that would cost you as much as $100 if purchased separately. Naturally, “everyone” downloads the copies, but you can modify it accordingly to give it your own look. The best ones are CSS derived and web standard compliant.

3. Web Browsers Internet Explorer isn’t the only name in town when talking about web browsers. Yes, they are dominant, but so many web savvy folks have tired of Microsoft’s dominance and are switching to Netscape, Firefox, Opera, and Safari to name a few.

4. Email Client Thunderbird is the name of another project developed by the people who brought to you Firefox. With Thunderbird you can send and receive email, stop SPAM, and add plugins to design the program the way you want it to look.

5. Office Software MS Office rules as WordPerfect barely hangs on. Still, there are options to these two productivity suites in the form of OpenOffice.org. A big freebie associated with this site is the *pdf maker, saving you lots of money over purchasing Adobe Acrobat. Certainly OpenOffice isn’t as snazzy as MS Office, but for the price — F-R-E-E — it is worth a look.

Are all open source products great? No, absolutely not. Some proprietary software developed by corporations are far superior and worth it to you if you do not have the time or inclination to make a move to open source. Still, open source provides a wonderful alternative to cash strapped and Microsoft weary web developers. In a day when corporations throw their considerable influence around, it is nice to see developers donating their talents to the worldwide web. Become a part of the growing open source movement today!

Matt Keegan is an article writer and web designer who enjoys using various open source programs. Please visit The Article Writer at http://www.thearticlewriter.com for samples of some of his work.

There is two types of transformers in the market- linear transformer and switch mode power transformer. The transformers design is different. Sometimes it is just referred as ac transformer. Linear transformer mostly used in radio, project kits, VCD and etc while switch mode transformer can be found in Monitor, Tv, Fax and so on.

A transformer consists of two or more coils wound on the same core. For power transformers, the core material is usually iron. For a radio-frequency transformer, the core material is usually ferrite or air. The basic property of a transformer is to change AC voltage. A transformer cannot change direct current voltage. A step down transformer has a lower AC output voltage at its secondary winding than the AC input voltage to its primary winding. Conversely, a step up transformer has a higher secondary than primary voltage. The transformer laminations or coating of shellac, enamel or varnish is to insulate adjacent turns from shorts between winding. I will not go too details about how transformer work and transformer calculation as you can read more details from most electrical and electronic transformers books.

How to test transformers: Transformer failures are relatively rare in most electronic equipment, compared with other components. If too much current goes through a coil or winding, the winding heats up and can either open up completely, or the insulation between turns of wire can break down, causing the coil to be partly or completely shorted.

Just like a coil, you can check continuity of any primary or secondary transformer winding. The actual value of DC resistance you read is rather meaningless, but at least you will know whether a winding is open. Checking linear transformer is quite straight forward. Apply the ac voltage to the primary winding and expect output voltage at the secondary side. No or low output voltage means the transformer winding has open or shorted winding. Look for any evidence of overheating, such as darkened or blackened areas or a burnt smell.

About how to test a power transformer-it is a little bit complicated. You cannot apply ac voltage to the equipment and expect the desire output at the secondary side without connect to load otherwise over voltage will happen (because you have removed all the secondary load) and will blow the power section which consist of power fet, pwm ic and etc. Swith mode power supply are designed to run with load while linear transformer can be test without load.

The best way to test a switch mode power transformer is first remove it from the board. Check only the primary winding as secondary winding failures are exceedingly rare. How do we know which one is the primary winding? Trace from the big filter cap the positive pin to see where the circuit goes. It will go to one of the pin of the transformer. Then look for the power fet middle pin which is the Drain and it will lead to another pin of the transformer. This two pins is the primary winding of the transformer. Checking the resistance of the primary winding only can reveal whether it is open but it cannot check if it has developed a shorted winding. Only by using a ringer test you will know if it shorted or not. A shorted turn in the primary winding can cause the power section to blow.

The cheapest ringer tester that i came across is Dick Smith LOPT METER or flyback tester. Just connect the probes to the primary winding and the result are instantly seen from the Led bar graph. 4-8 bar represent a good winding, 1-2 bar represent partial short and if the led goes off means there is a heavy short in the winding. Besides checking the transformer it can be use to check B+ COIL, horizontal yoke coil and flyback primary winding and ballast (choke).

The expensive ringer tester is from sencore equipment. Sencore LC102 and LC103C besides checking capacitor it also have the capability to check all kind of winding. Whether it is a low voltage transformer, high voltage transformer, current transformer, pulse transformer, electric transformer, custom transformer this equipment will be able to check and test it.

If you do not wish to invest on this tester you may use a light bulb to check it. Remove one of the primary winding pin and connect a 60 watt light bulb. One end to the circuit while the other to the transformer pin. If the bulb light and didn’t goes off suspect a shorted winding and if the light goes off, the winding is ok.

Transformer repair is not easy and it require a good skill to do it. Most of the transformer repairer preferred to rewind bigger winding such as fan, car alternator and starter. Swith mode power transformer is a little bit difficult to rewind because of the small size and low price.

Jestine Yong is a electronic repairer and a writer. For more information about electronic repair please visit his website at http://www.noahtec.com/electronic-repair-articles.htm

With the myriad of cell phone plans that are available through the various carriers today, it can be a bit of a challenge to muddle through it all, trying to find the best package for your family. Each has their own special set of perks that are offered, in order to entice potential customers to purchase a contract and commit themselves to a particular amount of time with the company. Although you’d be hard-pressed to find a carrier that locks you in for more than two years ? those days are gone ? you’re still committing your patronage for a designated amount of time, and ? that being the case ? will have a bit of research to do before settling on a specific package. Where do you begin?

Work the Room

One of the best ways to gather information on any product is to solicit the opinions of others who have used it at one time or another. Since cell phones are such a hot commodity today, and everyone who uses one must purchase some type of cell phone plan in order to use it, then there’s a lot of information that’s available to you in virtually any place where you’ll be exposed to others ? in other words, everywhere.

• Extended Family ? Since family members often chat with each other at some point during the day via cell phone, check with other family members who are outside your home to see which plan they use and how well it works for them. Depending upon their circumstances, of course, the plan that they have might not be tailored to the needs of your family, but it’s a good starting point.
• Friends ? Although many folks have a very limited number of extended family members in their immediate area, most have a wide variety of friends from which to gather information. It’s in your best interests, therefore, to find out what works best for them. If their families’ needs are similar to yours, you can get a gold mine of information that might help you to select the best family cell phone plan from among the many that are offered in your particular area.
• Neighbors ? If you’re the type that doesn’t barricade yourself from the neighbors with tall hedges that serve to discourage communication, then you’re probably in the position to check with those who are living around you about which local carriers offer good family plans. Since most people today carry this type of device, then the chances are good that you’ll come up with something worthwhile.
• Co-Workers ? One of the main reasons that adults invest in cell phones today is to keep in touch with family members during the time when they’re at work or are traveling on work-related business. Therefore, finding a great family cell phone plan is a real priority for them, and you can cash in on the research that they’ve already done. Keep in mind that their particular carrier may not be available in your area, but chances are good that they are, since most people don’t have an overly long commute to and from work each day.
• Clubs/Organizations/Extracurricular Activities ? Whether you work out at the gym twice each week, attend an art class or belong to a bridge club, you have the potential to meet a large number of people who use cellular phones and can speak to you about their options packages. Keep in mind that learning about what they use is only half of the research ? getting information about what plans didn’t work for them is the other half. Sometimes, carriers make a product look great but, when put to practical use, it’s found to be failing.
• Online Community ? Lots of information can be found online regarding cell phone service plans, and one of the best ways to find information about specific carriers and their plans is to search for cell phone reviews. These are easily found ? by simply typing "cell phone review" into the keyword area of your favorite search engine ? and offer the added benefit of being up-to-date and usually fairly specific regarding the assets and liabilities of the packages’ particulars.

Compiling the Data

It’s important to keep in mind that there are lots of different types of plans that are available, so there’s a lot more research to do be done than may be immediately apparent. For instance, the term "cell phone plan" is very generic, since there are various types of service; so when it’s time to compare cell phone plans, you’ll have to consider each type of service that’s offered through each carrier. Among the many things that you’ll have to examine are prepaid cell phone plans, "no contract" cell phone plans, "pay as you go" mobile phones and internet phone service. Once you’ve narrowed it down to the specific type of cell phone service that you prefer, then you’ll have to take the particular features into consideration. These may include long distance plans, multiple phone options, "free minutes" packages and mobile-to-mobile options, to name a few.

In order to weave your way through all of the information that you’ve collected, it’s best to list the cellular phone carriers that you’ve examined, listing each option and its specifics. Once this list has been compiled, then it’s time to decide what type of cell phone coverage is necessary in order to meet your particular needs. Through the good old-fashioned process of elimination, most of your work will be done before you make the attempt to contact any of the cellular phone companies. When you get to that point, you might also be surprised by a few specials that are being offered at the time, which will end up saving you even more on your monthly cell phone bill.

Taking the Shortest Route

Since finding a solid cell phone plan for your family can require a good deal of time and effort, you may wish to consider taking a bit of a shortcut when it comes to information gathering. Rather than approaching everyone on an individual basis, for instance, you might think of having a get-together ? maybe even a "cell phone party"! ? so that you can bring most of your contacts directly to you, rather than seeking each of them out at different times and places. Doing effective research is time-consuming enough, so take the shortest route to your investigative destination and get a good deal of it over with at once.

About the Author

Samantha Goode is a freelance technology writer who loves to provide tips to consumers shopping for pay as you go mobile phones, cell phone family plans and cell phone packages.