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James_K

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Posts posted by James_K


  1. Well, as far as HD DVD vs. Blu-ray goes, it looks like we've pretty much passed the point of no return now; with each passing day it seems less and less likely that a compromise will be reached on a next-gen format. The ongoing peace talks between the two camps, which have been on-again, off-again for months now, seem to have finally dissolved. It's disappointing, but however you feel about the fact that the HD DVD and Blu-ray factions squandered countless chances to make it right and come together, it looks like in just a few short months they're going to be duking it out mano a mano right in our livingrooms. There may not be a lot we can do to fight back â apart from refusing to adopt either format out of sheer spite of their pigheadedness â but no matter what we might as well at least arm ourselves with the knowledge necessary to understand the nature of the situation at hand.
    Here's the background:

    Philips's development of the Laserdisc in 1969 yielded many of the technologies Sony carried over and adopted when they partnered with Philips to create a little something called the CD way back in '79. Both companies were hard at work together once again in the early 1990s on a new high-density disc called the MultiMedia Compact Disc (MMCDâoriginal name, guys), but their format was eventually more or less abandoned in favor of Toshiba's competing Super Density Disc (SD), which had the vast majority of backers at the time, such as Hitachi, Matsushita (Panasonic), Mitsubishi, Pioneer, Thomson, and Time Warner.

    The two factions cut a deal, brokered by IBM president Lou Gerstner, on a new format: DVD. Toshiba wound up on top after the dust settled in 1995/1996, and Sony and Philips, who weren't cut in on the standard (and royalties) nearly as much as they'd have liked, immediately started work on a next gen system. The Professional Disc for DATA (aka PDD or ProDATA), which was based on an optical disc system Sony had already been developing in the side, would eventually become the Blu-ray disc. Toshiba, not to be outdone by the pair, also started work on a next gen system, the Advanced Optical Disc, which eventually evolved into the HD DVD. After thirty-five years of optical audio/video disc development we're back where we were years ago: two money-grubbing factions fighting each other and threatening to wreak havoc on the consumer electronics industry. Apparently history really does repeat itself.

    So here's the technical nitty gritty before we drop the graphs n' charts on ya. Both systems use the same kind of 405nm wavelength blue-violet laser, but their optics differ in two ways. Since the Blu-ray disc has a tighter track pitch (the single thread of data that spirals from the inside of the disc all the way out-think grooves on a 12-inch vinyl single vs. an Elvis Costello full-length album), it can hold more pits (those microscopic 0s and 1s) on the same size disc as HD DVD even with a laser of the same wavelength.

    The differing track pitch of the Blu-ray disc makes its pickup apertures differ, however - 0.65 for HD DVD vs. 0.85 for Blu-ray - thus also making the two pickups technically incompatible despite using lasers of the same type. HD DVD discs also have a different surface layer (the clear plastic layer on the surface of the data - what you get fingerprints and scratches on) from Blu-ray discs. HD DVD use a 0.6 mm-thick surface layer, the same as DVD, while Blu-ray has a much smaller 0.1mm layer to help enable the laser to focus with that 0.85 aperture.

    Herein lies the issues associated with the higher cost of Blu-ray discs. This thinner surface layer is what makes the discs cost more; because Blu-ray discs do not share the same surface layer thickness of DVDs, costly production facilities must be modified or replaced in order to produce the discs. A special hard coating must also be applied to Blu-ray discs, so their surface is sufficiently resilient enough to protect the data a mere 0.1mm beneath - this also drives the cost up. The added benefit of keeping the data layer closer to the surface, however, is more room for extra layers.

    Still with us? No? Blu-ray discs are more expensive, but hold more data - there, that's all.

    So now that you know why Blu-ray discs cost more and why Sony/Philips and Toshiba are all harshing on one another so much, we can get to the really important stuff: the numbers, and who's supporting who.


    Capacity

    Blu-Ray
    ROM single layer: 23.3 / 25GB
    ROM dual layer: 46.6 / 50GB
    RW single layer:23.3 / 25 / 27GB
    RW dual layer:46.6 / 50 / 54GB
    Highest test:100GB
    Theoretical limit:200GB

    HD DVD
    Single layer:15GB
    Dual layer:30GB
    -
    -
    Highest test:45GB
    Theoretical limit: 60GB

    Codecs

    Blu-Ray
    MPEG-2
    Microsoft Video Codec 1 (aka VC1, WMV HD, etc.)
    H.264 / MPEG-4 AVC

    HD DVD
    MPEG-2
    Microsoft Video Codec 1 (aka VC1, WMV HD, etc.)
    H.264 / MPEG-4 AVC



    Security

    Blu-Ray
    Mandatory HDCP encrypted output
    ROM-Mark watermarking technology
    BD dynamic crypto (physical layer)
    Advanced Access Content System (AACS)

    HD DVD
    Mandatory HDCP encrypted output (for HD)
    Volume identifier (physical layer)
    Advanced Access Content System (AACS)



    Studios (movie and game) listed as supporting members

    Blu-Ray
    20th Century Fox
    Buena Vista Home Entertainment
    Electronic Arts
    MGM Studios
    Paramount Pictures
    Sony Pictures Entertainment
    The Walt Disney Company
    Vivendi Universal Games
    Warner Bros.

    HD DVD
    Buena Vista Home Entertainment
    New Line Cinema
    Paramount Pictures
    The Walt Disney Company
    Universal Studios
    Warner Bros.


    Format founders
    Blu-Ray
    Sony Corporation
    Royal Philips Electronics

    HD DVD
    Toshiba Corporation
    Hitachi Corporation


    https://www.engadget.com/

  2. Once again, Apple has come up with a design that turns heads. Enter the iPod nano. But this was a relatively easy one for the designers, if not the engineers: They took the full-size iPod and made it really, really slim. We measured it at just 80 cents thick—that's 3 quarters and a nickel, or 0.27 inches for you traditionalists—by 5 dimes long (3.5 inches) by 2 pennies wide (1.6 inches). According to Apple, that's 62 percent smaller than the now-discontinued iPod mini the nano is replacing. It weighs just 1.5 ounces, and it really does fit in the smaller front pocket of your blue jeans without the slightest bulge. A few things changed—some compromises in the name of miniaturization and some actual improvements—but the end result is a spectacular product. Sure, it doesn't have an FM tuner or voice recording, but it does have an unsurpassed interface, a color screen, excellent sound quality, and an undeniable cool factor. Plus, it's flash-based, so you don't have to worry about skipping or dead hard drives.

    We received the black model for testing, but we were slightly disappointed to find that the included stock Apple earbuds have retained their distinctive "mug-me" white. A nice touch is that the icon that showed up on our desktop was black. The iPod nano doesn't support syncing via FireWire; instead, a message comes up telling you to please use the included USB cable. It still charges via FireWire, though. Upon first connection, our 4GB model had 3.7GB available for storage, with the remaining space being used for system files. It took us only 1 minute 6 seconds to transfer 512MB of MP3 files via USB 2.0.(A 1GB model is also available for $149.)

    One of the biggest additions for Microsoft Windows users is that the iPod nano syncs with Microsoft Outlook and Outlook Express contacts and calendars (in addition to those from iCal, of course). We had absolutely no trouble doing so, and contacts are sortable by first or last name. Games include the same old Brick, Music Quiz, Parachute, and Solitaire. The stopwatch, however, is a very cool new feature, especially considering that the nano is ultratiny and flash-based—ideal for working out. It can record lap times as well, and then saves them along with a date and time stamp. When you go back and view your recorded times, it also shows you your shortest, longest, and average lap in addition to your total time and individual lap times. The iPod nano also boasts a world clock which displays the time in analog or digital. Another handy feature is being able to adjust the audiobook reading speed.

    Apple added a security measure called Screen Lock, which is a graphical combination lock for which you create a 4-digit code. The click wheel provides just the right amount of sensitivity so you don't scroll through the numbers too fast. After you set the lock, you can still use the Play/Pause button but nothing else. Your code pops up on the screen each time you choose Turn Screen Lock On from the menu as a reminder; this is handy but doesn't provide particularly robust security.

    Subjective sound quality is nearly identical to that of the final-generation iPod mini, which is to say, excellent. Music is clear, with very solid bass and crisp highs. The stock Apple earbuds perform adequately, though the player can definitely handle high-end headphones with aplomb (the plug of our Etymotic ER4P canalphones, however, is actually slightly wider than the player itself!). There are 22 preset listening modes, so we think most users won't miss a customizable equalizer. The bass booster provides enough extra depth for thundering bass such as that found in some electronic music, though we heard significant harmonic distortion on the low end that noticeably altered the music. But the sound is plenty good enough with the EQ off.

    On our formal tests, the iPod nano actually outperformed the 6GB iPod mini, with a slightly cleaner signal and better response in the lowest octave than its predecessor. Our square-wave test also showed that the output stage is significantly stronger than the mini's when loaded with Apple's stock earbuds but not as strong as that of the iPod shuffle, which has a different type of output. Apple rates the battery life at 14 hours of continuous audio playback, and it can fast-charge to 80 percent in 1.5 hours.

    Photos sync easily and quickly via iTunes; just select the iPod tab in Preferences, and then choose Photos. The 176-by-132-pixel 1.5-inch screen is about 0.2 inches smaller than the iPod mini's, but it gains color; photos look sharp and vivid, though we're still wishing for pan and zoom capabilities. Format support is still admirably broad, encompassing JPEG, BMP, GIF, TIFF, PSD (Mac only), and PNG. It can do slide shows with music, customizable slide times, and several different transitions.

    Naturally, there are already a few accessories for the nano, including lanyard headphones (yes, it's wearable, via the headphone jack on the bottom of the device), a nano Dock, nano armbands, and nano Tubes (silicone cases). The cases are a good idea, as we've already covered our shiny new nano in fingerprints. And we're sure third parties will begin shipping other add-ons soon. Thankfully, the nano retains other iPod models' standard 30-pin dock connector, so it'll work with many existing accessories. It also ships with a plastic insert so you can use the nano with your existing iPod docks. Apple did not include any voice-recording features, however, so you won't be able to plug in third-party microphones. Nor will you be able to use add-ons that use the other iPods' 4-pin remote control connector, which is missing on the nano. (That means no remote, either.)

    At $199 for the 2GB version and $249 for the 4GB version (both available in black or white), we feel that Apple has made an incredibly satisfying product. We were so impressed that we're awarding it our Editors' Choice award. Sure you can get a 20GB full-size iPod for $299, but the benefits of an extremely small size and no moving internal parts easily justify the price.
    http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,1857401,00.asp


  3. If they are already MP3 then you can just copy them directly to your new spankin I-POD but if you have acc files and want to convert then just go to download.com look up dBpowerAmp and you can manually converet when on your computer withouth having to waist a CD or computer time


  4. Notice from szupie:

    The unthinkable has happened: Microsoft has delayed Windows Vista yet again.
    Jim Allchin, co-president of Microsoft's Platforms & Services Division, announced on March 21 during a conference call that Microsoft is now planning to roll out Windows Vista in two stages.

    The business, volume-licensed versions of Vista will now ship in November 2006, as many expected. But the consumer, retail versions of Vista won't be ready until January 2007.

    Until March 21, Microsoft officials had said Vista would be ready to ship in time for the holiday 2006 selling season.

    The delay will likely impact PC makers who had been counting on preloading Vista on new PCs this fall.

    Allchin attributed the decision to delay the retail versions of Vista to quality concerns.

    "Product quality is the first priority. We won't compromise on that," Allchin said, reiterating his oft-repeated statement that product quality trumps all else when it comes to Windows.

    When asked for further details, Allchin cited performance, drivers, testing and security as areas where Microsoft and some of its partners had concerns.

    Microsoft is still planning to release the next test build of Vista, its "consumer Community Technology Preview" build, to an estimated 2 million testers sometime in the next quarter, Allchin said.

    Microsoft had been telling testers to expect that CTP build in April. Lately, however, some partners said they heard Microsoft might not make that April date.

    Microsoft is still on track to release the Vista code to manufacturing in 2006, however, Allchin said.

    "We expect some to say that this [the next CTP build] was fine and why didn't they just ship this," Allchin said.

    "We needed just a few more weeks," Allchin said. "Industry partners need quite a bit of time and certainty about that time."

    Allchin downplayed the potential impact on Microsoft partners of the delay.

    "Some partners will be impacted more than others," Allchin said. "To be clear, some [partners] wanted us to continue, but we wanted to think about the whole industry."

    Allchin said that Microsoft is not changing its Vista forecasts, and is expecting the delay in retail availability to have little, if any, impact on revenue, as the company will still be delivering the product in the fiscal 2007 timeframe.

    One Microsoft TAP (Technology Adoption Partner) tester, who requested anonymity, was not as forgiving about the slip.

    "I think that the delay is significant...Microsoft is missing a key time over the holidays in bringing Vista to the most consumers possible at launch," the partner said.

    Other company watchers said they were not surprised by the delay, claiming the warning signs had been apparent for some time.

    Microsoft's decision not to issue a December CTP of Vista, as well as its strategy to forgo a traditional Beta 2 build in favor of a series of CTPs gave some Microsoft watchers cause for concern.



  5. I would sugest you get a MMIO router bit the is risk in buying MIMO gear, since there is no such thing as a "MIMO" standard and the 802.11n high speed wireless standard that it is emulating is at least a year away from ratification. Since none of the current MIMO technologies are 802.11n, or can even be considered "pre-802.11n", forget any possibility of an upgrade to 802.11n compatibility when that standard is finally released.


    The good news, however, is that Airgo and Atheros-based MIMO products are interoperable with existing 802.11b and g gear, although both will experience a throughput drop when non-MIMO gear is mixed into their wireless LANs. I previously examined mixed WLAN behavior for NETGEAR's RangeMax and a Linksys Airgo-based product in detail. And while I didn't verify the interoperability of any of the Atheros VLocity-based products, since Super-G is an important core VLocity technology, I don't think it's a big leap to assume that those products will handle mixed WLANs similarly to RangeMax.

    But I didn't test the RaLink products for mixed WLAN behavior,so can't vouch for what happens. However, I'd expect behavior similar to the other technologies, with the only question being the extent of throughput drop.

    Second, if wireless bridging and repeating or ability to attach higher-gain antennas is important, you generally will get neither from MIMO products. The one exception in this round-up is the Airlink101 router, which has its antennas attached via RP-SMA connectors (but no WDS bridging / repeating).

    So as far as risk is concerned, my conclusion is that there is no more obsolescence or interoperability risk from buying "MIMO" products than any other WLAN products using non-standard throughput and range-enhancement technologies.

    Next, let's consider price. More competition has lead to lower prices, with ZyXEL being the most notable exception among the products reviewed. But now that you know that you can get the same performance and features from the much more reasonably priced TRENDnet pair, perhaps we'll see ZyXEL come down in price.

    Tip Tip: Like parent Cisco, Linksys would like you to believe that their name on the box justifies higher prices for products that are essentially copies of Airgo's reference designs. But Belkin's Pre-N and G Plus are also Airgo reference clones and cost up to 30% less.

    But most manufacturers are slugging it out and slashing prices with the result being that as I write this you can pick up a "MIMO" router for under $60 (the Airlink101). But given the Airlink101's inability to connect in either of my difficult test locations 4 and 5, you'll probably should expect to spend more like $80 - $90 for one of the better-ranked products.

    You should note that finding a deal on MIMO client cards is more difficult, since that's where manufacturers are trying to squeeze out some margin so that they can live to fight another day. As noted previously, I suspect that NETGEAR may be doing the best at this game, given the single chip design of its WPN511 RangeMax client and its comparatively high price.

    If high throughput is what matters most to you, then choose any of the products using Atheros VLocity technology, i.e. the D-Link, ZyXEL or TRENDnet gear. Since all three also include routing sections with Ubicom's StreamEngine Internet upstream optimization technology, you can buy again on price, with TRENDnet getting the nod as low-price leader.


    But keep in mind that you'll achieve this highest throughput only if your WLAN contains only Super-G clients and more likely only if the clients are from the same manufacturer and product family. You'll also need to make sure your hopefully speed WLAN isn't within range of any neighboring non Super-G wireless networks, since Super G products must shift down out of channel-bonding "turbo" mode if any are detected - even if you force "Static Turbo" mode.

    So what about the other products? The Ruckus Wireless products command the highest price and may end up being mainly sourced via IPTV service providers (although the company says you can purchase them directly by emailing them). They don't provide the highest peak throughput, but earn the distinction of having both the highest total up and down throughput and WQS numbers in my most difficult test locations 4 and 5.

    The non-MIMO Buffalo Turbo G Hi Power pair actually held its own among the sexier MIMO gear and managed to maintain 2-3Mbps of usable (although not with low variation) in the location 4 and 5 tests. Wireless bridging / repeating, upgradable antennas on both router and client, and pricing below all but the Airlink101 could make it an attractive alternative if you're willing to accept higher throughput variation for a lower price.

    And what about the NETGEAR RangeMax, which ranked next-to-last for up and down WQS and behind both the Atheros and Airgo-based products for total up and down throughput? Actually, that about sums it up for this pair that seems to suffer from its earlier-generation Atheros technology and client that doesn't use the multi-element BeamFlex antenna. While it may be a top-selling MIMO product now, its technology and features are getting long in the tooth and the VLocity and TrueMIMO based products provide better value.

    This brings me to the Airlink101, which bears the distinction of being the only product that I can't recommend because of its bottom total throughput ranking, low WQS and especially its inability to establish a connection in both difficult test locations 4 and 5.http://www.tomsnetworking.com/


  6. I don't know how microsoft did it, but configurting your network in Windows 2000 and Windows XP is FAR easier than in Windows 98. There are more features available to you, but the interface is simpler.Windows XP Note: NetBEUI is no longer installed on your hard drive by default. To proceed with this tutorial, you will need to copy the following files from your XP CD on to your hard drive#1) copy nbf.sys into the %SYSTEMROOT%\SYSTEM32\DRIVERS\ directory#2) copy netnbf.inf into the %SYSTEMROOT%\INF\ directoryEverything we do on this page will take place in your network properties, also known as your 'Network and Dialup connections'. This is where we will tell windows how to communicate with your new network. One way to get to your network properties is to go to your desktop, right click on ‘network neighborhood’ and click properties (Network Neighborhood is in your start Menu for Windows XP). You can also reach it from the Start Menu. Select 'Settings' and then 'Network and Dialup Connections'.Right click on the network connection for your local area network. The following three items should be present. Make sure each one is check. This is called 'binding' software to your network card. 1) Client for Microsoft Windows2) File and Printer sharing for Microsoft Windows3) NetBEUIIf you do not have these components, use the ‘install' button to add them.You are finished configuring your network! Now you need to configure your computer name and workgroup.Computer Name and WorkgroupThe 'computer name' is the name that computers on your network will see your computer as. A workgroup 'groups' your computers together and helps them find each other. Right click on the 'my computer' icon on your desktop and click 'properties'. Select the Network Identification tab. This screen shows your current computer name and workgroup. If you need to change it, click the properties button. Make sure you are part of a WORKGROUP and not a domain. Enabling shares on Windows 2000 and XPTo get the network neighborhood (network browser) working, you MUST enable at least one file or printer share on your computers. (see Network Browsing explained )Create a new folder on your hard drive and call it ‘shared’. Right click on this folder and select ‘Sharing’ from the menu that appears. Select “Shared as” and give the share a name or leave it as it is. This share defaults to full control for the user group 'everyone'. This means that anyone that can log into this computer will have access to this share.When trying to access a network drive or printers share on a Windows 2000/XP computer from a Windows 95/98/ME computer, you may receive an IPC$ dialog box like the one above. If you do, then you need to configure security on your Windows 2000/XP computer.When Windows 95/98/ME tries browsing the Windows 2000/XP computer, it first must log in. The username Windows tries is the name that you logged into Microsoft networking with. When your Windows 98/95/ME computer booted up, you saw a screen like this: You must create that name in Windows 2000/XP security to allow that user access to the Windows 2000/XP shares.Creating a Windows 2000From the control panel, double click the admin tools icon. Next, click the Computer management icon. This will bring up a screen like the one below. From here, open the Local Users and Groups tree and add a new user by right clicking on the 'Users folder' and select 'Add new user'. Create a user name that MATCHES the user name used to lon into your Windows 98/98/ME computer. I would sugges assigning a password to this ID. I have sometimes had trouble in the past using blank passwords. You should also UNCHECK the 'User must change password' line and CHECK 'password never expires'. This ID will default into the USERS group. This should be enough security to access files and print shares.Now, the next time you see that IPC$ / Enter network password thing, you can use the password speficied in the user profile you just created!


  7. I think the war between the two chip companies is rediculous I mean I think when were old and grey this will still be going on it's never ending there will always be AMD fans and INTEL fans me I dont care a processor is a processor I want the AMD for it's 64 powerful overclocking freatures and I want the intel for it's cool and quite features an know both intel and amd have made there version of the chip to compete with the strengths of the two companies but in a way we should be happy that this is happening if INTEL or AMD were the ONLY chipmakers of the whole word they would have control of the whole monopoly I mean think about it then they can make what ever they want when ever they want and put what ever price tag they want since they are the only suppliers at least this way the two companies are at each other's throats and we are benefiting with the faster and more powerful make of processors and chips and the competeing price trying to lure you to buy this or that product rather then their's "same feature" expensive product in a way we all should be amd AND intel fans same with ati and n'vidia but that's another argument


  8. First things first...please make sure you have the latest drivers installed for your particular printer. Check the manufacturer's website for updated versions if you are unsure. Though they may not be necessary, download drivers for all the operating systems present on your network. Place the XP printer drivers in an easy to remember location, or on a disk or CD since you my need them even after you install them.To set up a printer for sharing we'll first need to share your current printer, meaning we will make it available to the other computers on your home (wired or wireless) ethernet network.Go to 'start/control panel' and choose 'printers and other hardware' then 'view installed printers or fax printers.' Right click on the printer you wish to share and select 'sharing…'Choose the 'share this printer' option and give the printer a share name. Note that this name will be used to locate and identify the printer over the network, so it should have no more than 8 letters and no spaces or characters.


  9. I think your best guess is to start looking at some of the other hardware components it will probebly something major since usually if there is a hardware malfunction the POST will tell you MB internal speaking to start annoyingly beep my guess is that it could be a faultly processor usually computer tend to shutdown by them sleves because it the processor is over heating although I'm sure thats not that case because your processor must be pretty hightly clocked to be overheating in one second but you might want to check like trying a different one maybe the processor is sending false reading or something like that also keep in mind you FSB could be cracked I shipped my computer ounce and fedex cracked my FSB and it would as a BSD so yah check all your hardware try replacing as much as you can with spare units but make sure they are compatible before you try. Good Luck!


  10. Execution is, in simplest terms, state-sanctioned killing, and it devalues the respect we place on human life; how can we say that killing is wrong if we sanction killing criminals? More importantly, the whole principle is outweighed by the proven risk of executing innocent people. 23 innocent people were executed in the USA in the 20th century. The avoidable killing of an innocent person can never be justified, in any circumstances. Higher execution rates can actually increase violent crime rates. California averaged 6 executions a year from 1952 to 1967, and had twice the murder rate than the period from 1968 until 1991 when there were no executions. In New York, from 1907 to 1964, months immediately following an execution showed a net increase of two murders - an average over a 57-year period. Implementation of the death penalty, particularly in America, can suffer from social or racial bias and in fact be used as a weapon against a certain section of society. In the USA nearly 90% of those executed were convicted of killing whites, despite the fact that non-whites make up more than 50% of all murder victims. Capital punishment costs more than life without parole. Studies in the US show that capital cases, from arrest to execution, cost between $1 million and $7 million. A case resulting in life imprisonment costs around $500,000. Defendants who are mentally incompetent will often answer "Yes" to questions in the desire to please others. This can lead to false confessions. Over 30 mentally retarded people have been executed in the USA since 1976. By executing criminals you are ruling out the possibility of rehabilitation - that they may repent of their crime, serve a sentence as punishment, and emerge as a reformed and useful member of society.


  11. With the rapid growth of interest in the Internet and the Windows NT operating system, network security has become a major concern to companies throughout the world. The fact that the information and tools needed to penetrate the security of corporate networks are widely available has only increased that concern. Because of this increased focus on network security, network administrators often spend more effort protecting their networks than on actual network setup and administration. New tools that probe for system vulnerabilities, such as the Security Administrator Tool for Analyzing Networks (SATAN), assist in these efforts, but these tools only point out areas of weakness instead of providing a means to protect networks. Thus, as a network administrator, you are constantly trying to keep abreast of the wide number of security issues confronting you in today's world. The next section describes many of the security issues that arise when connecting a private network to the Internet.Security Issues When Connecting to the InternetWhen you connect your private network to the Internet, you are physically connecting your network to well over 50,000 unknown networks and all of their users. While such connections open the door to many useful applications and provide great opportunities for information sharing, most private networks contain some information that should not be shared with outside users on the Internet. In addition, not all Internet users are involved in lawful activities. These two statements foreshadow the key questions behind most security issues on the Internet:How do you protect confidential information from those who do not explicitly need to access it?How do you protect your network and its resources from malicious users and accidents that originate outside of your network?The following sections describe the security issues and types of attacks focused around these two questions. Protecting Confidential InformationConfidential information can reside in two states on a network. It can reside on physical storage media, such as a hard drive or memory, or it can reside in transit across the physical network wire in the form of packets. These two information states present multiple opportunities for attacks from users on your internal network, as well as those users on the Internet. We are primarily concerned with the second state, which involves network security issues. The following list introduces five common methods of attack that present opportunities to compromise the information on your network:network packet sniffersIP spoofingpassword attacksdistribution of sensitive internal information to external sourcesman-in-the-middle attacksWhen protecting your information from these attacks, your concern is preventing the theft, destruction, corruption, and introduction of information. These results can cause irreparable damage to sensitive and confidential information. Below, we describe these common methods of attack and provide examples of how your information can be compromised.


  12. If you buy Cat Cables in bulk it's extremly cheap but you also have to check what your getting which is why computer techies like buying huge rolls of cat cables and just cutting of the amount they need that way it's cheaper but you have to look at the smaller things too some points are golden plated suppsoe to increase connectivity or some crud it prob does but I never really care it cant be that much so yah it matters what yoru doing I mean think about it if you sell small amouts cheap you wont make any money if you sell big amounts expansive you wont make anymoney it's all in marketing my freind


  13. Haha I remember seeing this a few years ago man I lauged my *bottom* off I couldnt' stop the first time it's a shame tho even when he made this video it still wasn't true for mac's although I am not a fan I am not an enemy I am willing to try it I recently got a hold of the method to install mac on a X86 tying it soon this should be fun anyway yah the video is awsome but it's not true


  14. I think firefox personally is awsome as for thunderbird I have never tried it but I like the tab feature on firefox and the safeness (if there is such a word somewhere on the forsaken planet) of it although apparently when IE7 Comes out it will totally replace the need for firefox so I feel that Mozilla better work on their game or else they will be taken out by the new IE and with vista coming along I personally cant wait


  15. A notable problem with wireless devices is that they still need a power source.
    Most generally consider Wi-Fi to be wireless Ethernet, but it is far more than that.

    Wired networks, such as Ethernet, are for communications between fixed locations. Wireless networks, such as Wi-Fi, are for communications between devices. The distinction is lost for fixed-location devices, but device mobility is the primary benefit of wireless.

    The air is free, but to operate wireless networks one still needs a wired connection to a computer or the wired network, a source of power, and radios. Estimating the cost of a wired network is easy. It is the sum of the cost of the network cable, junctions, and connecting wires; the cable and junction installation; the network interfaces; and the long-term maintenance of the installed wiring plant.

    The costs of wireless networks are more difficult to estimate. They include the cost of wiring to access points, access point equipment, wireless interfaces, and long-term wireless troubleshooting and maintenance.

    The other notable problem of wireless devices is they still need a power source. Wired network nodes can draw power from the local alternating-current receptacle, but mobile wireless devices depend on batteries or some alternative power source. Of course, you can always plug the wireless device into a local power source, but then you lose the mobility advantage and incur the cost of installing power connections at the device. To some extent, the recent Power over Ethernet (PoE) standard IEEE 802.3af came into being to help resolve this problem by transporting electrical power on the wired Ethernet network so it is available to wireless access points. It is still too early to see much acceptance for this standard, but it is likely to be popular once products for it penetrate the market. However, PoE still does not address the issue of powering the wireless device itself.

    Signal loss and fading

    In the early twenty-first century, wireless networks still suffer from mysterious dead spots-areas where there is no reception. They are mysterious because even very careful planning cannot remove all dead spots, and sometimes live spots just move or, in the language of radio, fade. The spontaneous loss of communications for no apparent reason is probably one of the most irritating aspects of wireless networks. Often, the signal mysteriously returns even before one can investigate the cause of its loss. This occurs with cellular telephones, with Wi-Fi devices, and with all other wireless local area network (LAN) technologies.

    Fading can be because of interference from other radio signals present in the same part of the spectrum as well as because of moving equipment. Sometimes, a live spot exists only as a result of a multipath effect when the signal reflects from some stationary object. Wi-Fi may fade in areas where microwave kitchen appliances are in use or where a cordless telephone is operating at 2.4 gigahertz.

    Dead spots may occur within buildings depending on their materials of construction. In the line of sight between the access point and the wireless device, each time the radio wave passes through a solid the signal attenuates. Denser materials attenuate more than less dense materials. Metals, particularly steel, used in building construction may absorb or attenuate most of a radio signal, creating a dead spot in its radio shadow. Moving the access point or the device by a small amount, perhaps only a few millimeters, may eliminate the dead spot.

    Finally, there are sunspots! The sun emits a broad spectrum of electromagnetic waves at all frequencies, which generally constitutes noise. Once in a while, the surface of the sun experiences flares or dark spots that emit very strong electromagnetic waves that interfere with radio transmissions. These things simply do not occur with wired communications.

    Multipath distortion

    Radio waves move from an omnidirectional antenna in all directions. When these radio waves strike a very dense object such as metal or stone, they reflect, much as light reflects from a mirror or other shiny surface. Even when there is a clear path between the transmitting and receiving antennas, some of the signal reflected from other paths will arrive at the receiving antenna. This phenomenon is multipath distortion, and it can affect the received signal, because the longer path will cause the signal to arrive out of phase with the signal from the direct path. The effect of multipath distortion can range from nothing to the cancellation of the signal, depending on the paths and the resulting delays. In some cases, the multipath effect can even boost the received signal. This occurs when both paths arrive at the same time-in phase-such as when multiple transmitting antennas are used.


    http://www.findarticles.com/?noadc=1

  16. You have to tell us what video card you have already you most likley just have to update you drivers then it sould be fine but it also could be that you video card is not powerful enough to play B&W2 if you gave us the brand name and model number it would be easier for us to help if you know what it is and you know how to get drivers you can just update and do it your self here are the 2 main card manufactureing companys http://forums.xisto.com/no_longer_exists/ also can be intragrated into your mother board so check your host mb website too


  17. Yah I agree with everyone else Linksis and D-link are the way to go but if you really want some range then you can go with NetGear supposidly it suppose to have AWSOME range and suppose to be really fast never having tried it my self I can vouch for it but you could always go for the D-link Gaming router dude it just sounds awsome you know you cant go wrong but if you really want if you get a buffalo wirelesss router then you can also get the repeater that they make a repeater is kind of slef explanitory it gets the existing wave from the router and retrasmitts it to make another area more accessible or you can go for the buffalo High gain antenna makes it go really far but make sure your not in a really condensed resitential area or someone might steal your internet and make you pay for it the choice is yoru young one choose wisley


  18. Thats looks wickedly awsome but how are you suppose to connect that to the power source? I mean are you sure thats going to work? and for a 120W it couldn't support a shuttel that is going to be some pretty low power stuff man but I guess for really really really weak laptops it ould suffice I hope they come out with more maybe supporting 500W Now THAT would be wickedly cool


  19. Notice from szupie:
    Copied from http://www.pcguide.com/proc/physinst/fdd-c.html
    I'm leaving this here because even though it was plagiarized, it may still be helpful to our members.

    * Hardware Required: Screwdriver and screws; you may need additional screws if using a mounting kit. * Software Required: None.
    * Time to Perform: Usually about 5-10 minutes. Can take slightly longer if there are fit problems or adapters are needed.
    * Preparation / Warnings:
    o If you have not already done so, please read the section on general installation and assembly tips.
    o It is always wise to make sure you have a backup of any drive before moving it to a new PC or reinstalling it. Of course, it's generally too late to do anything about this if the drive is already out of its system. :^)
    o Ensure you have already decided how you want to configure the hard disk drive, and that you have already set the appropriate jumpers. See this procedure if you have not already done this.
    o Make sure that the interface cable will reach the drive in its intended location. Refer to the system layout planning procedure if necessary. Unlike with floppy drives, you cannot just get a longer cable in most cases when you are dealing with IDE/ATA drives. The length of the cable is limited to 18" and in some cases less. See here for more details.
    o Ensure that a power cable from the power supply will reach the drive.
    o Make sure that you don't mount the drive upside-down or backwards. The label of the drive goes up, and the circuit board down. The connectors should face into the middle of the case so the interface cable can reach them.
    o The system case should be open before you begin. For instructions on opening the case, refer to this procedure.
    o Some cheap cases are made from very flimsy sheet metal and may require you to flex them somewhat to get the drive to slide in properly.
    o Internal hard disk drives have an exposed circuit board on the bottom (the drive's integrated logic board). Be especially careful not to damage this board, and ensure during installation that nothing contacts it. Check after installation to ensure that nothing can accidentally contact the board.

    Procedure Steps:

    1. Find Pin 1 On Drive: Take a close look at the drive and determine which end of the interface connector is pin 1. There should be some sort of a marking near pin 1 to indicate it, which may be a small number "1", a dot, an arrow, a square around the pin where it connects to the circuit board, or some other indication. You'll need to know where pin 1 is when you connect the drive up, which may be much later on. It's much harder to determine which end is pin 1 after the drive is installed.

    Tip: Hard disks usually have pin 1 of the connector next to the drive's power connector.

    2. Install Mounting Kit, If Necessary: Virtually all modern cases have internal 3.5" drive bays meant specifically for hard drives. However, if you are installing into an older case or one that has its internal 3.5" bays full, you will need to use a mounting or adapter kit. To use this kit, place the drive into the middle of the adapter, and then use four screws to mount the drive to the inside of the adapter. Some adapters mount using screwholes on the bottom of the drive and some using screwholes on the side. Make sure you orient the drive correctly. Then test the mounted drive by sliding it into the drive bay. Ensure that it fits properly.
    3. Mount Drive Into Case: There are three common ways of mounting a hard disk drive into the system case that I have encountered. Determine which of the following matches your case and follow the appropriate instructions:
    * Direct Mount: The simplest and most common mounting method is the direct mount, where the drive slides into the bay and mounts directly to the drive bay walls. Slide the drive into the bay and align the holes on the side of the drive with the holes in the drive bay. There may be more than one place in the bay where the drive will fit into the case. When the drive is lined up correctly, secure the drive to the bay using four screws.
    * Drive Rails: Some cases, especially older ones, use two thin rails that are mounted to the drive, and then used to slide the drive into the drive bay. If your cases uses these, select two matching rails, one for either side of the drive. Place the drive into the bay without the rails first, to allow you to visualize where the rails need to mount onto the drive so that once inserted, the drive will fit properly into the bay. Attach the rails to either side of the drive, using two screws per rail. Then slide the drive into the bay. Verify that the front of the drive lines up correctly. Some drive rail cases have spring-loaded clips on the front that snap into place when the drive is inserted all the way (mostly newer cases). Others require you to screw the drive into the bay anyway, using holes in the front of the drive bay. Either way, make sure the drive is not free to move around when you are done.
    * Mounting Box: Some cases, especially desktops, use a removable metal box into which the drive is mounted. The procedure here is similar to that for direct mount, above, except that you have to remove the box first and insert the drive into it, then remount the box.
    4. Double-Check Installation: Make sure the drive has been fitted properly into the case and that there is no interference with other components. In particular, make sure that the logic board on the bottom of the drive is not touching anything. Ensure that it is not loose in the case.



  20. I dont know if this is your case or not but I know that Microsoft has recently (well I think it's been in place for awhile) ceased all um...... "Pirated" copies of XP-CD-KEYS from being allowed to update now since you message is weired and has nothing to do with that it may not be the case but just though I would like to mention it anyway if you do have a legit key then try doing the validation check and try again http://forums.xisto.com/no_longer_exists/


  21. BONUS X2 Questions yayNumber 1What's the worst thing I could say? Things are better if I stay So long and goodnight, So long not goodnightNumber 2Mama take this badge from me, I cant use it any more.It's getting dark to dark to see (Original Singer(s)) A couple of my favorite songs


  22. haha tigerdirect?? You poor thing yah the best sites are Pricewatch.com and newegg.com but that if you live in US I think people would have a better way to help you (If you not in the US) if you told us where you live also a great way is to see your local computer shop and see if they have a web site this way you can compare it to other stores or newegg/pricewatch or what ever and see if you getting the best deal if not ask the store clerk if they do a pricematch (you find somewhere else in you area and show them written documentation of a lower price) that way you dont have to go all the way to another store just to find that they are out of stock or there was a hidden cost.


  23. You think thats sounds nice???? Get the X-FI with the S750 Gigaworks speaker 7.1 set and you well go deaf with quality or I guess you can still get a really expensive BOSE system but still man THAT ROCKS!!!! oh well congradulations on your new purchase ands it's about time you moved on from on-board sounds you poor thing I feel sorry for youl.....well not anymore

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