If you have ever been victim of fraud before, then you know all too well how ugly it can be. The key to preventing fraud is to use common sense and investigate with all the information you have.
Preventing Fraud
They key to preventing fraud is to collect as much information as possible. While more information is generally better, there is such thing as too much information too. You don't want to go around collecting your clients' SSNs, as that probably would scare them away. A shopping cart, or some sort of ordering system is usually a good idea in keeping your customer data secure and easily findable.
Below we're going to break up the different techniques you can do with certain types of information.
IP Address
The best thing you can do with an IP address is figuring out the location of it. You can do this with http://www.domaintools.com or http://www.dnsstuff.com. Sometimes an IP can be off by a few states or a few hundred miles at the most. But if the IP location is in a different country than your customer, then you may have a problem. From my experience, the IP is usually from an odd country. Generally IP is one of the most clear indicators, but it can be wrong.
Phone Number
With a phone number, you can do several things. The most obvious is figure out where the area code is. If this is a US phone number, you should be able just Google the area code and it will tell you the location of it. Be forewarned, that a lot of times people have an area code near them, but not necessarily in the same location. Then there are the oddballs who have a VoIP number or something similar on the other side of the country. You got to be very careful with phone numbers.
The next thing you can do is a reverse phone lookup. I find http://wwww.whitePages.com to be the most effective and easiest to use. A lot of numbers that you will lookup will be unlisted or cell phone numbers. A reverse phone lookup is also an effective method for finding out if your customer is a minor or just slightly older than a minor (as always, there are exceptions to this).
Domain
Every domain must have contact information. There are services out there that offer privacy protection for their contact information, but a lot of the domains are unprotected. You can lookup your client's domain using DomainTools to see if it's registered to them, and if it is, compare the information there with the information that they gave you.
Username / email
Almost all of the fraudsters that you will encounter will use a form of a free email address. The tricky part is, so will your legitimate customers. Googling their email address or a username will sometimes return some results that you can checkout, and learn more about your customer to see if he will be the ideal customer.
How to Deal with an Existing Fraud Case
Didn't see this tutorial in time to learn how to prevent fraud? Well, let's go over the basics on fighting those pesky chargebacks.
No matter what type of merchant account you own, if it is a legitimate fraud, then you will lose. It's pretty simple. However you do stand a chance against those who cry fraud, when in reality, they just wanted it free.
If you use Paypal, then you do stand a chance. If you sell a non-tangible service, such as software, or programming/designing etc. then tell Paypal this. Provide proof that you did fraud screening, and that you know this person received what you guaranteed to them. If they've paid through a credit card to Paypal, then your chances become increasingly smaller. Almost every dispute a consumer files with their credit card company, they will reward the consumer. Fighting a credit card chargeback is not an easy task at all.
The bottom line is use common sense. Try to call your customers directly if possible, to speak with them over the phone. This is by far the best method of preventing fraud. But just remember, there is not a single method that will reduce fraud by 100%. You should always be aware of that, each and every day.
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
What Is RSS?
RSS is technology - a simple software program - that allows you to access web and blog content automatically. The acronym's most popular translation is "Really Simple Syndication. Once your browser or computer has an RSS reader on board, you can subscribe to any number of RSS "feeds." A feed is simply a way in which a reader may subscribe to website content - most commonly blogs or news sites. A news site, for example, may list their latest headlines or entire articles in their feed every time a new article is published. A blog would publish this feed as a series of recent posts.
Feeds are published by millions of publishers, from small individuals to large organizations like Newsweek. The value of a feed is that it brings the most current site content to you in a format that is easily scanned; further, you are spared the task of visiting each source site each day. This is typically done through the use of what is called an 'aggregator' or 'feed reader'.
Feed readers or RSS readers, are software programs that run on your computer (or PDA or phone); let you easily subscribe to feeds, and allow you to read through them efficiently. Some are relatively simple, showing the headline and summary. The fancier ones often work with (or in) your browser to make viewing the material look much like the source page. Once you have a reader on your computer, subscribing to a feed with is an easy click or drag from your browser. Sites that provide RSS feeds will usually have a button for that purpose.
There are several RSS feed formats as well as one with an entirely different methodology called Atom. Atom has become popular with some bloggers and blogging tools. Some aggregators can read both. The other acronyms you will see in "feedspeak" are XML, which stands for 'extensible markup language' and is the code standard for these simple text feeds. An 'OPML" file is a format for indexing hierarchical feed lists. If you dive into this web habit in a big way, your aggregator or reader may keep your subscription list in an OPML file.
An RSS feed is a great method for staying abreast of issues and topics that interest you. There are a number of feed "libraries," so to speak, from which you can learn what's out there in your areas of interest. Google has a built-in reader that makes the subscription process easy, as does Yahoo. Firefox has a downloadable extension for the purpose of aggregating RSS feeds, as well as a default ability to save RSS feeds as "live bookmarks" that update via the RSS feed. You can download a number of stand alone readers and aggregators; you can find them through a simple web search.
The whole RSS "movement" is a step towards utilizing the Internet more efficiently. The trick is to avoid overloading your email inbox with daily reports that you end up ignoring most of the time. For that purpose, there are sites like Feedster that will search millions of RSS feeds for articles that are relevant to your interests. Like any search tool, however, these services are hit and miss. They are still working off keywords and sometimes what they find is relevant, sometimes not. But if you want daily news broken into categories, it's great technology once you learn how to make it work for you.
Feeds are published by millions of publishers, from small individuals to large organizations like Newsweek. The value of a feed is that it brings the most current site content to you in a format that is easily scanned; further, you are spared the task of visiting each source site each day. This is typically done through the use of what is called an 'aggregator' or 'feed reader'.
Feed readers or RSS readers, are software programs that run on your computer (or PDA or phone); let you easily subscribe to feeds, and allow you to read through them efficiently. Some are relatively simple, showing the headline and summary. The fancier ones often work with (or in) your browser to make viewing the material look much like the source page. Once you have a reader on your computer, subscribing to a feed with is an easy click or drag from your browser. Sites that provide RSS feeds will usually have a button for that purpose.
There are several RSS feed formats as well as one with an entirely different methodology called Atom. Atom has become popular with some bloggers and blogging tools. Some aggregators can read both. The other acronyms you will see in "feedspeak" are XML, which stands for 'extensible markup language' and is the code standard for these simple text feeds. An 'OPML" file is a format for indexing hierarchical feed lists. If you dive into this web habit in a big way, your aggregator or reader may keep your subscription list in an OPML file.
An RSS feed is a great method for staying abreast of issues and topics that interest you. There are a number of feed "libraries," so to speak, from which you can learn what's out there in your areas of interest. Google has a built-in reader that makes the subscription process easy, as does Yahoo. Firefox has a downloadable extension for the purpose of aggregating RSS feeds, as well as a default ability to save RSS feeds as "live bookmarks" that update via the RSS feed. You can download a number of stand alone readers and aggregators; you can find them through a simple web search.
The whole RSS "movement" is a step towards utilizing the Internet more efficiently. The trick is to avoid overloading your email inbox with daily reports that you end up ignoring most of the time. For that purpose, there are sites like Feedster that will search millions of RSS feeds for articles that are relevant to your interests. Like any search tool, however, these services are hit and miss. They are still working off keywords and sometimes what they find is relevant, sometimes not. But if you want daily news broken into categories, it's great technology once you learn how to make it work for you.
When to Buy a Color Laser Printer Instead of an Ink-Jet Printer
Computer and technology products continue to improve, and color printers are no different. If you liked the printer your friend bought last week, just wait. You'll be able to get one better and cheaper next week.
So, if you're in the market for a new home or small office printer what should you get, ink-jet or laser? My short answer - laser. Let me explain.
When black ink-jet printers first came out you had to pay somewhere in the neighborhood of $500. You could get a replacement ink cartridge for 20 bucks and you're good to go. Or, you could buy an ink refill kit and refill your cartridge for a fraction of the cost of a new cartridge. Well, those days are long gone. Now you pay twenty bucks for the printer and $500 for the ink! Well, not quite, but it seems that way.
I've worked on printers with a single color cartridge and with one cartridge for each of the three standard colors and either way, you end up paying a lot for ink. So what do a lot of people do to save money on ink? They use their printer as little as possible. While this may seem like a reasonable solution it creates another problem; the ink dries up. Then when you go to print it's all streaky because the ink has dried up and clogged the microscopic jets. So what to do now? You run your printer through the cleaning process, which, unfortunately, USES A TON OF INK!
Here's the answer, buy ink cartridges on sale and stock up. Oops, wrong answer. Ink cartridges have an expiration date and usually don't work after that date.
How about refilling? Most cartridges today use some kind of “smart” technology that knows when it's empty and won't work when refilled - plus it can be a real mess.
The reason most ink-jet printers are so inexpensive today is that printer manufactures use the same business model as cell phone companies, that is, give away the phone (printer) and make the profit by regularly selling minutes (cartridges). Add to that the natural trend of computer products getting cheaper and the fact that today's printers are really cheaply made (notice I didn't say “inexpensive,” I said “cheap”) and you'll see $29 ink-jet printers all the time.
But don't think you can just buy a new printer whenever your ink runs out, because most printers are sold with “starter” cartridges which are less than 50% full.
So, what about color laser printers? Color laser printers have been around for quite a few years now, costing about ten grand and weighing 100 pounds when the first came out. Now you can get one for under $300 that weighs less than 40 pounds. So obviously it costs more to purchase a laser printer than an ink-jet printer, BUT, the cost per page is much less with laser and the hassle is greatly reduced as well.
So, for routine small office and home use these days, I recommend color laser printers.
So, if you're in the market for a new home or small office printer what should you get, ink-jet or laser? My short answer - laser. Let me explain.
When black ink-jet printers first came out you had to pay somewhere in the neighborhood of $500. You could get a replacement ink cartridge for 20 bucks and you're good to go. Or, you could buy an ink refill kit and refill your cartridge for a fraction of the cost of a new cartridge. Well, those days are long gone. Now you pay twenty bucks for the printer and $500 for the ink! Well, not quite, but it seems that way.
I've worked on printers with a single color cartridge and with one cartridge for each of the three standard colors and either way, you end up paying a lot for ink. So what do a lot of people do to save money on ink? They use their printer as little as possible. While this may seem like a reasonable solution it creates another problem; the ink dries up. Then when you go to print it's all streaky because the ink has dried up and clogged the microscopic jets. So what to do now? You run your printer through the cleaning process, which, unfortunately, USES A TON OF INK!
Here's the answer, buy ink cartridges on sale and stock up. Oops, wrong answer. Ink cartridges have an expiration date and usually don't work after that date.
How about refilling? Most cartridges today use some kind of “smart” technology that knows when it's empty and won't work when refilled - plus it can be a real mess.
The reason most ink-jet printers are so inexpensive today is that printer manufactures use the same business model as cell phone companies, that is, give away the phone (printer) and make the profit by regularly selling minutes (cartridges). Add to that the natural trend of computer products getting cheaper and the fact that today's printers are really cheaply made (notice I didn't say “inexpensive,” I said “cheap”) and you'll see $29 ink-jet printers all the time.
But don't think you can just buy a new printer whenever your ink runs out, because most printers are sold with “starter” cartridges which are less than 50% full.
So, what about color laser printers? Color laser printers have been around for quite a few years now, costing about ten grand and weighing 100 pounds when the first came out. Now you can get one for under $300 that weighs less than 40 pounds. So obviously it costs more to purchase a laser printer than an ink-jet printer, BUT, the cost per page is much less with laser and the hassle is greatly reduced as well.
So, for routine small office and home use these days, I recommend color laser printers.
Sunday, June 17, 2007
Pretexting – Identity Theft With Personality
No doubt, by now, you’ve been warned about "phishing". Phishing attempts to steal personal information via faked websites or bogus "official" communications, designed to lure the user into providing information via web forms. There are numerous tools now available to help protect users against phishing, which is a fairly "passive" form of social engineering. The recent scandal at Hewlett Packard brought a more sophisticated form of identity theft via social engineering to the public consciousness: pretexting.
According to the Federal Trade Commission, pretexting is the practice of getting your personal information under false pretenses. Pretexters sell your information to people who may use it to get credit in your name, steal your assets, or to investigate or sue you. That information may include your Social Security Number (SSN), telephone records and your bank and credit card account numbers.
Pretexters use a variety of tactics to get your personal information. For example, a pretexter may call, claim he's from a survey firm, and ask you a few questions. When the pretexter has the information he wants, he uses it to call your financial institution. He pretends to be you or someone with authorized access to your account. He might claim that he's forgotten his checkbook and needs information about his account.
In this fashion, the pretexter may be able to obtain personal information about you such as your SSN, bank and credit card account numbers, information in your credit report. Pretexting is the key to identity theft, which most commonly results in credit card fraud, bank fraud, loan fraud and communications fraud (opening a phone account fraudulently).
However pretexting is also alive and well in the private gumshoe community: investigators ostensibly working quietly but aboveboard for legitimate clients. There is a thriving network of creative con artists who gather phone records and other private data. Some of their clients are major banks and insurance companies. Pretexting has often been the corporate investigative tool of choice.
The most notorious example of this practice coming to light recently has been the drama played out at Hewlett Packard, where the board chairwoman and other HP luminaries hired an investigative agency to track the source of leaks coming from board meetings. The investigators, in turn, engaged in pretexting to attempt to gain phone records on a suspected board member and on the journalist(s) who were writing stories based on the links.
Computer hackers call the use of an assumed identity "social engineering." That's an endearing title for theft, but the fact is that this type of behavior has been in the news for some time preceding the HP fiasco. Presidential candidate Wesley Clark had his cell phone records purchased by a blogger, who turned them into a major political story. The HP story has resulted in an investigation by the California Attorney General’s office, which says that it currently has six "major" pretexting cases under investigation, all of them corporate in nature.
HP’s filing with the Security and Exchange Commission regarding this matter states in part that, "The (HP board) Committee was then advised by ... outside counsel that the use of pretexting at the time of the investigation was not generally unlawful (except with respect to financial institutions)..."
The Federal Trade Commission’s web site section on this issue reads as follows: "Pretexting is the practice of getting your personal information under false pretenses. Pretexters sell your information to people who may use it to get credit in your name, steal your assets, or to investigate or sue you. Pretexting is against the law."
HP’s investigators are currently under indictment. It will be interesting to see what comes of the board members and lawyers who found their methods "not generally unlawful."
According to the Federal Trade Commission, pretexting is the practice of getting your personal information under false pretenses. Pretexters sell your information to people who may use it to get credit in your name, steal your assets, or to investigate or sue you. That information may include your Social Security Number (SSN), telephone records and your bank and credit card account numbers.
Pretexters use a variety of tactics to get your personal information. For example, a pretexter may call, claim he's from a survey firm, and ask you a few questions. When the pretexter has the information he wants, he uses it to call your financial institution. He pretends to be you or someone with authorized access to your account. He might claim that he's forgotten his checkbook and needs information about his account.
In this fashion, the pretexter may be able to obtain personal information about you such as your SSN, bank and credit card account numbers, information in your credit report. Pretexting is the key to identity theft, which most commonly results in credit card fraud, bank fraud, loan fraud and communications fraud (opening a phone account fraudulently).
However pretexting is also alive and well in the private gumshoe community: investigators ostensibly working quietly but aboveboard for legitimate clients. There is a thriving network of creative con artists who gather phone records and other private data. Some of their clients are major banks and insurance companies. Pretexting has often been the corporate investigative tool of choice.
The most notorious example of this practice coming to light recently has been the drama played out at Hewlett Packard, where the board chairwoman and other HP luminaries hired an investigative agency to track the source of leaks coming from board meetings. The investigators, in turn, engaged in pretexting to attempt to gain phone records on a suspected board member and on the journalist(s) who were writing stories based on the links.
Computer hackers call the use of an assumed identity "social engineering." That's an endearing title for theft, but the fact is that this type of behavior has been in the news for some time preceding the HP fiasco. Presidential candidate Wesley Clark had his cell phone records purchased by a blogger, who turned them into a major political story. The HP story has resulted in an investigation by the California Attorney General’s office, which says that it currently has six "major" pretexting cases under investigation, all of them corporate in nature.
HP’s filing with the Security and Exchange Commission regarding this matter states in part that, "The (HP board) Committee was then advised by ... outside counsel that the use of pretexting at the time of the investigation was not generally unlawful (except with respect to financial institutions)..."
The Federal Trade Commission’s web site section on this issue reads as follows: "Pretexting is the practice of getting your personal information under false pretenses. Pretexters sell your information to people who may use it to get credit in your name, steal your assets, or to investigate or sue you. Pretexting is against the law."
HP’s investigators are currently under indictment. It will be interesting to see what comes of the board members and lawyers who found their methods "not generally unlawful."
CCNA Cisco Certification Training Case Study: How Multiple Passwords Affect Router Access
Your CCNA certification exam efforts must include practicing with different password types and knowing how to configure them on a Cisco router - but for CCNA exam success and to thrive in real-world networks, you also have to know how to examine a Cisco router configuration and determine the level of network security that is already present. After all, most routers you work with already have passwords set, and it's up to you to determine if those passwords are getting the job done.
Let's start with a telnet password. Telnet passwords are configured on the VTY lines, and no telnet access is enabled on a Cisco router by default. If you saw the following configuration, what would it mean?
line vty 0 4
privilege level 15
password baseball
login
That small Cisco router configuration means three things - first, Telnet access is enabled. Second, the password is baseball. Third, the "privilege level 15" command means that any user who attempts to Telnet to the router and knows the password will automatically be placed into privileged exec mode. (If that command were not present, the user would be placed into user exec and then prompted for the enable password before being allowed into privileged exec.)
You may not want to give that level of access to all incoming Telnet connections. If you walked into a client's router room and saw this configuration on a router, what would it mean to you?
username halas password 0 bears
username ewbank password 0 jets
username ed privilege 15 password 0 mcdaniel
line vty 0 4
login local
This configuration means three things as well. Each user attempting to telnet in will be prompted for both a username and password. Each individual user must enter the password that's been assigned to them. For example, the user "halas"would have to enter the password "bears" to successfully Telnet into this router. The command "login local" under the VTY lines means that this local database of usernames and passwords will be used for authentication.
Again, by default, users who are Telnetting in will be placed into user exec mode by default. Only users with "privilege 15" in the middle of their username / password definition will be placed into privileged exec immediately upon login.
Notice that zero in each of the username / password statements? I didn't enter that when I configured these statements. This number indicates the level of encryption the password is currently under; a zero is the lowest level of encryption, indicating that the passwords aren't encrypted at all. There's a single line near the top of a Cisco router configuration that tells you why.. which of these three is it?
service timestamps debug uptime
service timestamps log uptime
no service password-encryption
Simple enough! The password encryption service is off by default. To turn it on. just run the command service password-encryption. Let's do so here and then take a look at the configuration.
R1(config)#service password-encryption
username halas password 7 1415170A1E17
username ewbank password 7 070524585D
username ed privilege 15 password 7 082C4F4A08170C121E
Now that's what I call encryption! Note that the zero has changed to a "7" - that's the highest level of encryption on a Cisco router, and as you can see, it's very effective.
Knowing how to read a Cisco router configuration is a valuable skill for both the CCNA certification exam and working with production networks. Keep practicing, keep studying, and you'll have the coveted letters "CCNA" behind your name soon!
Let's start with a telnet password. Telnet passwords are configured on the VTY lines, and no telnet access is enabled on a Cisco router by default. If you saw the following configuration, what would it mean?
line vty 0 4
privilege level 15
password baseball
login
That small Cisco router configuration means three things - first, Telnet access is enabled. Second, the password is baseball. Third, the "privilege level 15" command means that any user who attempts to Telnet to the router and knows the password will automatically be placed into privileged exec mode. (If that command were not present, the user would be placed into user exec and then prompted for the enable password before being allowed into privileged exec.)
You may not want to give that level of access to all incoming Telnet connections. If you walked into a client's router room and saw this configuration on a router, what would it mean to you?
username halas password 0 bears
username ewbank password 0 jets
username ed privilege 15 password 0 mcdaniel
line vty 0 4
login local
This configuration means three things as well. Each user attempting to telnet in will be prompted for both a username and password. Each individual user must enter the password that's been assigned to them. For example, the user "halas"would have to enter the password "bears" to successfully Telnet into this router. The command "login local" under the VTY lines means that this local database of usernames and passwords will be used for authentication.
Again, by default, users who are Telnetting in will be placed into user exec mode by default. Only users with "privilege 15" in the middle of their username / password definition will be placed into privileged exec immediately upon login.
Notice that zero in each of the username / password statements? I didn't enter that when I configured these statements. This number indicates the level of encryption the password is currently under; a zero is the lowest level of encryption, indicating that the passwords aren't encrypted at all. There's a single line near the top of a Cisco router configuration that tells you why.. which of these three is it?
service timestamps debug uptime
service timestamps log uptime
no service password-encryption
Simple enough! The password encryption service is off by default. To turn it on. just run the command service password-encryption. Let's do so here and then take a look at the configuration.
R1(config)#service password-encryption
username halas password 7 1415170A1E17
username ewbank password 7 070524585D
username ed privilege 15 password 7 082C4F4A08170C121E
Now that's what I call encryption! Note that the zero has changed to a "7" - that's the highest level of encryption on a Cisco router, and as you can see, it's very effective.
Knowing how to read a Cisco router configuration is a valuable skill for both the CCNA certification exam and working with production networks. Keep practicing, keep studying, and you'll have the coveted letters "CCNA" behind your name soon!
The Basics Of Podcasting
Podcasting in its simplest form is the uploading of MP3 files to the internet, where they can be accessed by the majority of the online universe with little more than a modern browser. You might consider a podcast to be an audio blog, although podcasts are basically standalone units of communication and not limited solely to “audio.” The term is also applied to short video pieces that are uploaded for general consumption; that is becoming more common, but the term was born as a reference to the audio format. Although the term stems from Apple’s iPod line of products it is generic in nature and refers to any MP3 (and increasingly, video) file provided via one Internet channel or another. Technical Tips
To that end, the number of channels that are now using podcasts is nothing short of phenomenal. They are used in educational formats (distance learning programs) and by the mainstream media. Business Week Online is an example of excellent utilization of the format. They provide professionally conducted interviews with both newsmakers in the business world and with experts on topics like developing technology. It is both an extension of their current events function and the features section of the magazine that focuses on broader industry analysis.
Every major news outlet online – ABC, ESPN, Fox, CNN and so forth – use podcasts to augment their print-and-graphics webpage formats. You can find them on political websites and blogs, often carrying the candidate’s message but more often carrying the opponent’s gaffe. This particular phenomenon has led to the practice of campaigns hiring “trackers” to trail their opponent from public event to public event with a video camera, hoping to catch a misstatement, a contradiction or some sort of unfortunate occurrence that can be distributed via the assortment of political websites and blogs that clog the web today.
You can now “subscribe” to podcasts that are delivered via an RSS application automatically to your computer. “Podcasters” are individuals or information distributors of some sort that provide an ongoing series of podcasts. Podcasts very quickly found their way to the marketing and advertising industry, which as adopted them for widespread use on the Internet. Video podcasts in particular have become the most recent form of “popup” advertising on the web. You can be clicking through a commercial site and suddenly you are watching a commercial.
The proliferation of podcasts that are webcasts of mistakes, poor behavior or just plain foolishness began with people in the public eye but now extends well beyond the currently and formerly famous. Because these snippets of audio and video are so widespread and move across the digital network so quickly, one begins to feel uneasy. What if someone catches me falling off a bicycle and thinks it looks funny enough to share?http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif
When email entered our society, it provided a screening device to communication that was somehow comforting. Podcasts and to some degree the whole social networking phenomenon create the opposite effect. It’s easy to feel exposed, Android phones in India. regardless of the fact that you’re still one person using one computer.
For a technical explanation of the various methods of podcast delivery, take a look at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Podcasting. They provide an excellent and extended explanation of the various software options and delivery choices that you can make in allowing podcasts into your life. For a fairly comprehensive directory of podcast feeds and sources, try http://www.podcast.net/. As a good resource for news in the podcast universe and also for a directory, there’s http://www.podcastingnews.com/
To that end, the number of channels that are now using podcasts is nothing short of phenomenal. They are used in educational formats (distance learning programs) and by the mainstream media. Business Week Online is an example of excellent utilization of the format. They provide professionally conducted interviews with both newsmakers in the business world and with experts on topics like developing technology. It is both an extension of their current events function and the features section of the magazine that focuses on broader industry analysis.
Every major news outlet online – ABC, ESPN, Fox, CNN and so forth – use podcasts to augment their print-and-graphics webpage formats. You can find them on political websites and blogs, often carrying the candidate’s message but more often carrying the opponent’s gaffe. This particular phenomenon has led to the practice of campaigns hiring “trackers” to trail their opponent from public event to public event with a video camera, hoping to catch a misstatement, a contradiction or some sort of unfortunate occurrence that can be distributed via the assortment of political websites and blogs that clog the web today.
You can now “subscribe” to podcasts that are delivered via an RSS application automatically to your computer. “Podcasters” are individuals or information distributors of some sort that provide an ongoing series of podcasts. Podcasts very quickly found their way to the marketing and advertising industry, which as adopted them for widespread use on the Internet. Video podcasts in particular have become the most recent form of “popup” advertising on the web. You can be clicking through a commercial site and suddenly you are watching a commercial.
The proliferation of podcasts that are webcasts of mistakes, poor behavior or just plain foolishness began with people in the public eye but now extends well beyond the currently and formerly famous. Because these snippets of audio and video are so widespread and move across the digital network so quickly, one begins to feel uneasy. What if someone catches me falling off a bicycle and thinks it looks funny enough to share?http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif
When email entered our society, it provided a screening device to communication that was somehow comforting. Podcasts and to some degree the whole social networking phenomenon create the opposite effect. It’s easy to feel exposed, Android phones in India. regardless of the fact that you’re still one person using one computer.
For a technical explanation of the various methods of podcast delivery, take a look at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Podcasting. They provide an excellent and extended explanation of the various software options and delivery choices that you can make in allowing podcasts into your life. For a fairly comprehensive directory of podcast feeds and sources, try http://www.podcast.net/. As a good resource for news in the podcast universe and also for a directory, there’s http://www.podcastingnews.com/
Thursday, June 14, 2007
Ways To Hide Files On Your Computer
At some point in time, perhaps on your family computer, or your own computer, you will develop, collect, and store some important personal files on your hard drive that are strictly for your needs and purposes. These digital files may be so important to you, that under no circumstances, should anyone ever be able to access and see them. Some of these personal and business files may include documents, spreadsheets, emails, pdfs, text files, invoices, pictures, videos, and mp3s. These files may be so sensitive in nature, that you realize a need to prevent your spouse, kids, friends, or anyone for that matter, from viewing and accessing them. Perhaps, you may even need to hide porn or other explicit files. Just imagine if your spouse, or little ones at home, did a file search for all picture files and movies that were on your computer. Hopefully the results wouldn't expose them to anything that you wouldn't want them to see. Just imagine what could happen, if your children at home decided to fool around with your work and files that was listed in the recent documents menu. Ok, you get the point. And thus, this question is raised: How do I hide files and folders so that they won't be discovered?
There are several ways in which you can hide files: You can put your files within a folder and apply the hidden attribute to the folder. You can bury your files deeply in subdirectories within subdirectories and hope that no one browses using Windows Explorer. You can change the file name and file extension of your file to something unique and strange, so that no one recognizes it, or you can purchase a file hiding software security application such as a folder lock or folder hider with password protection.
All of the above methods may be your solution to hide your important files. It simply depends on the significant importance of your files and level of security you need. You can apply the hidden attribute to a folder or file by choosing to do so within its properties. This is a simple way of hiding a folder in Windows XP. However, the files will still show up if a user sets the option "show hidden files and folders" within the folders options. Another way to hide a file is simply by concealing it by dumping it into a folder you think no one will ever access. However, you run the risk of it appearing within the results of a Windows Search and having it displayed in the documents list. Another way to hide a file is by renaming it along with its file extension so that no one recognizes it or is able to open it using its standard program. Although this method could possibly work for you, you would have to waste time renaming it and changing it back to the correct extension.
And thus, the following question is raised: What is a quick and sure proof way to hide files in windows so that they won't appear within Windows Explorer and won't be displayed in the results of a Windows search? Your solution: A simple and easy to use folder security software utility that will allow you to hide files and folders and make them reappear all with a simple hotkey. Supreme Folder Hider is such a solution that will save you time and will provide you with an extra added sense of security. Supreme Folder Hider prevents all file access from Windows Explorer, the command prompt, shortcuts, and most recently used document lists.
There are several ways in which you can hide files: You can put your files within a folder and apply the hidden attribute to the folder. You can bury your files deeply in subdirectories within subdirectories and hope that no one browses using Windows Explorer. You can change the file name and file extension of your file to something unique and strange, so that no one recognizes it, or you can purchase a file hiding software security application such as a folder lock or folder hider with password protection.
All of the above methods may be your solution to hide your important files. It simply depends on the significant importance of your files and level of security you need. You can apply the hidden attribute to a folder or file by choosing to do so within its properties. This is a simple way of hiding a folder in Windows XP. However, the files will still show up if a user sets the option "show hidden files and folders" within the folders options. Another way to hide a file is simply by concealing it by dumping it into a folder you think no one will ever access. However, you run the risk of it appearing within the results of a Windows Search and having it displayed in the documents list. Another way to hide a file is by renaming it along with its file extension so that no one recognizes it or is able to open it using its standard program. Although this method could possibly work for you, you would have to waste time renaming it and changing it back to the correct extension.
And thus, the following question is raised: What is a quick and sure proof way to hide files in windows so that they won't appear within Windows Explorer and won't be displayed in the results of a Windows search? Your solution: A simple and easy to use folder security software utility that will allow you to hide files and folders and make them reappear all with a simple hotkey. Supreme Folder Hider is such a solution that will save you time and will provide you with an extra added sense of security. Supreme Folder Hider prevents all file access from Windows Explorer, the command prompt, shortcuts, and most recently used document lists.
Advantages and Disadvantages of doing Data Entry versus OCR
Want a digital format of the hard copy of any document? OCR (Optical Character Recognition) technology can be the right option. Changes are taking place in the field of Data Entry service with the improvement of modern technology. Apparently, you may think OCR service as a substitute of data entry service, however, OCR services come with both advantages and disadvantages.
Overview of OCR
Optical Character Recognition is a modern technology for digital replication. OCR technology comes with software, hardware and an additional circuit in the computer to execute conversion process. OCR software can not only read the fonts but also recognize line breaks in a document. The process of OCR is quite simple and easy to manage. The entire process of converting hard copy of a document into electronic document may take only a few seconds.
Advantages of OCR
If you are looking for only converting any document into editable digital format then there is nothing better than OCR services. Optical Character Recognition process saves the time and effort of developing a digital replica of any document. No need to type characters manually on a digital file. Just place the hard copy of the document inside a scanner and get the digital format of that document with the help of OCR software.
With OCR process you can convert a document in several electronic formats like – Microsoft Word, Excel, HTML, PDF, Text or Rich Text formats.
Documents, which are converted through OCR process, are editable and allow the user to modify the content. Compared to manual data entry service the cost of OCR service is quite less for developing electronic replica of any document. OCR service proved better than data entry service for the organizations, which are engaged in developing electronic copy of printed books.
Disadvantages of OCR Service
There are several disadvantages of OCR service regarding the cost as well as the process of recognizing the characters. Initially, the cost of developing replica through OCR process may seem lucrative but if you consider the cost of entire OCR system life cycle, the cost will be much higher than data entry service. Correcting OCR errors counts more cost than preparing a digital format of the document.
High accuracy OCR software can read more than 400 characters/second, approximately, and generates less number of OCR errors compared to any ordinary OCR software. Therefore, if you are looking for OCR process you have to maintain a separate workstation for correcting OCR errors.
OCR software is not efficient in recognizing the handwriting and the fonts, which are quite similar to handwriting. In such cases manual typing plays better role than OCR process.
How efficient is Data Entry Service than OCR?
Compared to ordinary OCR process, conversion life cycle cost is less in data entry service and it provides complete flexibility to data entry operators preparing digital documents from multiple formats like hard copy or audio files. Consider the service of medical transcription where you need to prepare digital documents from audio files. OCR cannot prepare digital document by scanning any audio files. In such services, data entry can prove better than OCR.
It has been found that for services like mailing list conversion or data extraction from the Internet, manual data entry services are still widely accepted across the industry. Data entry service comes with several levels – staring from inserting raw data in a document to an error free document. OCR is efficient during the initial level of data entry service but cannot be a substitute of data entry service. However, the selection of a right service (Data Entry or OCR) depends on requirements of the job.
Overview of OCR
Optical Character Recognition is a modern technology for digital replication. OCR technology comes with software, hardware and an additional circuit in the computer to execute conversion process. OCR software can not only read the fonts but also recognize line breaks in a document. The process of OCR is quite simple and easy to manage. The entire process of converting hard copy of a document into electronic document may take only a few seconds.
Advantages of OCR
If you are looking for only converting any document into editable digital format then there is nothing better than OCR services. Optical Character Recognition process saves the time and effort of developing a digital replica of any document. No need to type characters manually on a digital file. Just place the hard copy of the document inside a scanner and get the digital format of that document with the help of OCR software.
With OCR process you can convert a document in several electronic formats like – Microsoft Word, Excel, HTML, PDF, Text or Rich Text formats.
Documents, which are converted through OCR process, are editable and allow the user to modify the content. Compared to manual data entry service the cost of OCR service is quite less for developing electronic replica of any document. OCR service proved better than data entry service for the organizations, which are engaged in developing electronic copy of printed books.
Disadvantages of OCR Service
There are several disadvantages of OCR service regarding the cost as well as the process of recognizing the characters. Initially, the cost of developing replica through OCR process may seem lucrative but if you consider the cost of entire OCR system life cycle, the cost will be much higher than data entry service. Correcting OCR errors counts more cost than preparing a digital format of the document.
High accuracy OCR software can read more than 400 characters/second, approximately, and generates less number of OCR errors compared to any ordinary OCR software. Therefore, if you are looking for OCR process you have to maintain a separate workstation for correcting OCR errors.
OCR software is not efficient in recognizing the handwriting and the fonts, which are quite similar to handwriting. In such cases manual typing plays better role than OCR process.
How efficient is Data Entry Service than OCR?
Compared to ordinary OCR process, conversion life cycle cost is less in data entry service and it provides complete flexibility to data entry operators preparing digital documents from multiple formats like hard copy or audio files. Consider the service of medical transcription where you need to prepare digital documents from audio files. OCR cannot prepare digital document by scanning any audio files. In such services, data entry can prove better than OCR.
It has been found that for services like mailing list conversion or data extraction from the Internet, manual data entry services are still widely accepted across the industry. Data entry service comes with several levels – staring from inserting raw data in a document to an error free document. OCR is efficient during the initial level of data entry service but cannot be a substitute of data entry service. However, the selection of a right service (Data Entry or OCR) depends on requirements of the job.
Some Ideas For Creating Your Own Slideshows
Creating your own slide shows can be fun and entertaining, and easy to accomplish. Almost every digital camera now comes with some sort of software to manage your images. Some have more features than others. Some will allow you to create slideshows. Some will add transitions, and allow image durations to be adjusted. You can also use most video making programs to produce slideshows, which is one way to have more control over the outcome. For example, Windows XP offers MovieMaker, which has many of the functions of a full-blown video producer program. The program allows you to set the duration of each picture, the transition between each picture; offers various effects to apply to individual pictures, and allows you to overlay an audio track.
To start, I have found that most digital images need a little adjustment for viewing on monitors. If your program allows it, I recommend increasing both the brightness and contrast just a few notches. Also, if you can, sharpen them slightly. A note about color: colors come in two categories: transparent and opaque. When you prepare images for printing or for viewing on a monitor you must consider how colors interact with each other. Printed colors, when mixed together, go towards black. Projected colors, when mixed together, go towards white. Printed images are usually produced on equipment with a much higher resolution capability than your monitor, so they will appear richer and sharper in print. Most cameras are preset for printing, and that’s why it’s a good idea to sharpen, brighten and increase the contrast on images to be viewed on the pc.
Selecting your images and ordering them are the next important step. It is best to try and tell a story, to have a logical sequence to your images. Don’t show people going in the house before the shot of them getting out of the car. When you are taking pictures, remember that you may make a slide show, and try to take pictures that will present well in that style; for instance, in a room full of people , start at one side and take many pictures as you swing across to the other side of the room. When presented as slides, it will give the effect of creating the complete environment. Vary the duration of the slides; don’t make them all 3 or 5 seconds, make some shorter and some longer. If there’s one person in a picture, shorten it; if there are many people then lengthen it so people have a chance to look at every face.
Once you have assembled the slideshow and applied transitions and effects, you can put the crowning touch on by adding a narration. You can simply choose some favorite or appropriate music, but to really personalize it, a narration is best. Not everyone is a natural speaker, nor does everyone have the most recordable voice for such a purpose. Here’s where you can take advantage of a program like AV Voice Changer Software to create a separate track, or you could use AV Movie Morpher 2.0 to overdub the production. (You can go to http://mp3-player.audio4fun.com/free-audio-software.htm to download the software for free trials). In that case you will have to output the slideshow first and then open it inside the Movie Morpher program. The nice thing about both of these programs is that they can alter the sound of your voice to make it more entertaining. It can deepen or enrich it, or make it faster or slower; it can even change a male voice to a female-sounding voice. It can add special effects for emphasis or dramatic effect. You should work out either a written narrative or an outline of what you will say, practice it, and then record it. The final outcome will be an entertaining, creative, and personal record of part of your life, whether it’s a party, a graduation, or a simple family gathering, you will have created a cherished memory to be shared for all time.
To start, I have found that most digital images need a little adjustment for viewing on monitors. If your program allows it, I recommend increasing both the brightness and contrast just a few notches. Also, if you can, sharpen them slightly. A note about color: colors come in two categories: transparent and opaque. When you prepare images for printing or for viewing on a monitor you must consider how colors interact with each other. Printed colors, when mixed together, go towards black. Projected colors, when mixed together, go towards white. Printed images are usually produced on equipment with a much higher resolution capability than your monitor, so they will appear richer and sharper in print. Most cameras are preset for printing, and that’s why it’s a good idea to sharpen, brighten and increase the contrast on images to be viewed on the pc.
Selecting your images and ordering them are the next important step. It is best to try and tell a story, to have a logical sequence to your images. Don’t show people going in the house before the shot of them getting out of the car. When you are taking pictures, remember that you may make a slide show, and try to take pictures that will present well in that style; for instance, in a room full of people , start at one side and take many pictures as you swing across to the other side of the room. When presented as slides, it will give the effect of creating the complete environment. Vary the duration of the slides; don’t make them all 3 or 5 seconds, make some shorter and some longer. If there’s one person in a picture, shorten it; if there are many people then lengthen it so people have a chance to look at every face.
Once you have assembled the slideshow and applied transitions and effects, you can put the crowning touch on by adding a narration. You can simply choose some favorite or appropriate music, but to really personalize it, a narration is best. Not everyone is a natural speaker, nor does everyone have the most recordable voice for such a purpose. Here’s where you can take advantage of a program like AV Voice Changer Software to create a separate track, or you could use AV Movie Morpher 2.0 to overdub the production. (You can go to http://mp3-player.audio4fun.com/free-audio-software.htm to download the software for free trials). In that case you will have to output the slideshow first and then open it inside the Movie Morpher program. The nice thing about both of these programs is that they can alter the sound of your voice to make it more entertaining. It can deepen or enrich it, or make it faster or slower; it can even change a male voice to a female-sounding voice. It can add special effects for emphasis or dramatic effect. You should work out either a written narrative or an outline of what you will say, practice it, and then record it. The final outcome will be an entertaining, creative, and personal record of part of your life, whether it’s a party, a graduation, or a simple family gathering, you will have created a cherished memory to be shared for all time.
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