computer

The past week I've been BOINCing around with a new (to me) program that does a wonderful thing. Berkeley Open Infrastructure for Network Computing: an open-source software platform for computing using volunteered resources. Stay with me now, this is ... really very exciting. Remember I've told you before that computers are not very smart, just incredibly fast and able to do the same thing over and over and over without getting bored with the repetitiveness? In fact, most of the time your computer is waiting to do something and it would be quite happy to have something, anything to break the ... (view more)

Synopsis: Need to optimize your computer in a jiffy? Try Intelli HyperSpeed 2005! With only 2 simple mouse clicks, Intelli HyperSpeed 2005 thoroughly scans your system for performance bottlenecks and then adjusts settings based on your optimization ... preference. With 4 custom levels of optimization, advanced CPU and memory handling, network and Internet fine-tuning, and hundreds upon hundreds of specialized tweaks -- Intelli HyperSpeed 2005 is everything you need to maximize your PC, all rolled up into one neat little package! Intelli HyperSpeed 2005: Why Tweaking is Necessary Windows comes pre ... (view more)

So you finally decide you want to purchase your own computer and have it custom built just for you. Reasons for this could be that you don't want all the extra software that comes bundled with major manufacturers such as Dell, or you want to have a ... nice high-end system built with the specs just the way you like it. Here is a little advice based on some of my experiences. Ask yourself the following questions and think about them: What kind of computer do I need? Will it be used only for email and Internet access, or as a business computer or both? Do you have specific applications you want to ... (view more)

FTP or File Transfer Protocol is a commonly used protocol for exchanging files over any network that supports the TCP/IP protocol (such as the Internet or an intranet). There are two computers involved in an FTP transfer. The first computer is an ... FTP server. This computer listens on the network for connection requests from other computers. Another computer (called the client) can make a connection to the FTP server by using FTP client software. Once connected, the client can do a number of file manipulation operations such as uploading files to the server, download files from the server, ... (view more)

Infopackets Reader Windy H. writes: " Dear Dennis, I keep important information (such as credit card numbers) stored on my PC. The sensitive information, however, is disguised in such a way that if someone were to 'break in' to my PC, they would ... never realize that it is my credit card number. Question: I always go back to my repository program to cut and paste my credit card number into order forms when I make a purchase online. If there was a stealth Keylogger installed on my system, would it be able to detect the numbers I am entering? " My response: The short answer is "yes ... (view more)

Microsoft Shared Computer Toolkit For Windows Xp Some nice tools: Windows Disk Protection - Protects the Windows partition (typically drive C) that contains the Windows operating system and other programs from being modified without administrator ... approval. Disk changes made are cleared with each restart unless the administrator chooses to save them. User Restrictions - Restricts user access to programs, settings, and Start menu items. The tool also allows you to lock shared local user profiles to prevent permanent changes. (This tool is specifically for use in workgroup environments that do ... (view more)

A computer printer is a computer peripheral device that produces a hard copy (permanent human-readable text and/or graphics, usually on paper) from data stored in a computer connected to it. The world's first computer printer was a 19th-century ... mechanically driven apparatus invented by Charles Babbage for his Difference Engine. Methods of image creation The medium for most printers is paper, so they are usually classified according to the method of image creation: Toner-based printers Laser printers refer to the method used to adhere toner to the media. The advent of cost-effective, precision ... (view more)

Infopackets Reader S. Frisch recently asked a question regarding rootkits: " I've been hearing a lot of talk these days about 'rootkits' and how they can infiltrate Windows (regardless of whether or not you have a Firewall installed). What is your ... opinion of rootkits? I've also heard that there are programs that can help to defeat rootkits (with frequent updates): Rootkit Revealer, Ghostbuster and Blacklight. Do you think any one is better than the other? Do you think installing these programs is necessary? And if so, are there any others that are better?" Before answering this question, let' ... (view more)

In the context of computer software, a Trojan horse is a malicious program that is disguised as legitimate software. The term is derived from the classical myth of the Trojan horse. In the siege of Troy, the Greeks left a large wooden horse outside ... the city. The Trojans were convinced that it was a gift, and moved the horse to a place within the city walls. It turned out that the horse was hollow, containing Greek soldiers who opened the city gates of Troy at night, making it possible for the Greek army to pillage the city. Trojan horse programs work in a similar way: they may look useful or ... (view more)

This is a Christmas story. It is also a tale about the extension of the life of a computer. I suppose you could say that this posting is a good example of what you can get for the new computer user. This saga starts with a phone call from a good ... friend describing her desire to purchase a computer for her husband. He was sharing her system that was in use most of the time for business purposes and it was difficult for him to have the use of it. Therefore, the need was real. Her problem was that funds were extremely tight and she did not have the money to buy a computer. "I only have $100 to ... (view more)