Monday, April 9, 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.

Ecommerce Shopping Carts

Shopping carts are more commonly used as a way to display physical products, products like televisions, groceries, electronic equipment, clothes, and memorabilia, etc, not digital products. Shopping carts make it easy to cross-sell and up-sell your customers once they arrive at your store. Shopping carts typically handle the shipping and handling calculation, taxes and credit card processing. A good shopping cart handles all of these efficiently and securely.

Dynamic Operation

A good shopping cart program also creates dynamic order forms on the fly as the order takes place. The shopping cart should be totally dynamic; meaning it only executes code and retrieves products, images, and product descriptions from your database when your customers request it. During the checkout process it should also calculate shipping/handling and taxes for you.

Real-Time Credit Card Processing

Powerful CGI, PHP, CFM, ASP, etc, scripting, processes commands for you on secure servers when your customers place their orders. Don't get this confused with credit card processing. That’s mean passing of your customers' order information from a secure form, to your merchant or payment processor, using one of the scripting languages above. Your payment processor or merchant, like PayPal, 2CheckOut, or Authorize.Net will then process the credit card. If you don't currently have a merchant or payment processor, and you are going to be selling online, then you need one.

Usability

You can choose what options you want your customer to see. For instance, you can choose to display a search form on your shopping cart. A search form allows your customers to search your store for items by keyword or product name, etc. You can choose to display options like color, size and quantity, and even adjust the price based on the customer's selection. These are called options. Your shopping cart should also allow you to upload images of your products as well.

Stand-Alone –Vs.- Hosted Shopping Carts

You can purchase standalone shopping cart software or services. The stand alone software, of course, requires skill and expertise to install it on your web host or on your own server. Some of the shopping cart services, although it may not seem like it at first, limit you as to what you can and cannot do. These services are most commonly offered by web hosts as a way to entice you to host your site with them. When using these types of services, remember, you're locked into using that web host when you opt to use their shopping cart service. Your business is not portable and becomes a part of that web host. Make sure there is a simple export process that allows you to easily download your website and shopping cart if you no longer wish to use their services. The best option is to use a shopping cart that runs from your own website, independent of your web host. Both Prowebware and stand-alone shopping cart applications run from your website, giving you both control and flexib!
ility.

Choosing a shopping cart boils down to 4 things:

1 Your Budget

2 Your Skill-level - Do you have the expertise to edit & install scripts on your server?

3 Desired Functionality - Want a professional results oriented system or a display case?

4 Time - Have time to take away from your business to shape and mold a new program?

Whatever you decide, your cart should also permit you to follow-up with your customers automatically and even instantly auto-subscribe them to your mailing list.

To implement most out-of-the-box applications, you will need to know how to edit PHP, HTML, or ASP code and how to set up a MySQL database on your server for dynamic operation. Then, with some, all you need to know is how to copy/paste some simple code to your existing web pages or the template you're using. The system should also include some type of easy help or instructions, like an HTML file or contextual help menus that walk you through setting up your new cart.

Cellular Phone Choices

Determining what kind of phone service you want is not so easy anymore. There are lots of choices to make: local phone service, long distance phone service, cellular phone service, calling cards, and voice over IP (VoIP) are just some of the choices we have to make. Does it make more sense to just have a cellular phone, or is VoIP best for you? Or, should you stick with the traditional land line phone service? Well, the answer is...it depends. Here are some interesting facts about cellular phone service.

Did you know that a cellular phone is basically a radio? To be precise, it is actually a radio transmitter and receiver. A cellular phone is essentially a two-way radio transceiver that patches into the telephone system via a cellular network of base stations. The antenna of a cellular phone is the phone's primary source of radio frequency, and the quality of the signal depends on your phone, the distance to the source (usually a tower), and other factors which may affect radio transmissions.

What kind of service is best for you? First, understand that, for the most part, you will need to enter into a contract with the service provider. In other words, a cellular phone is typically provided with a service contract so caution is advised that you think about what kind of use your cell phone will get and to sign up for the appropriate service plan.

Trying to decide which mobile phone service is right for you can be very difficult. But there is another option: if you do not want a lengthy agreement, opt for prepaid mobile phone program. The prepaid cellular phone is an alternative to a monthly cellular phone plan. Basically, you pre-pay for your service (like a calling card). When you near the end of the amount of minutes you've paid for, you either just discontinue using it or buy more time (minutes).

While the cellular phone is mostly made up of plastics, it is run by several powerful computer chips. Each cellular phone is assigned a unique ESN, which is automatically transmitted to the cellular tower station every time a cellular call is placed. All that means is that the cellular phone is even unleashing us from telephone wires. This is hi-tech in motion.

But if you want to buy a new cellular phone but don't know where to begin researching, look for wireless phones and cell phone plans based on plan features or usage. What kind of cellular phone should you buy? Well, that's where that research on your part comes in, just like picking the right service does. And, there are lots of choices to make. For example, a camera phone is a cellular phone that also has picture taking capabilities. There are also video phones available. There are games, organizers, Bluetooth technology. The list grows daily. In fact, picking a cellular phone is almost a science in itself. For more help with your research, go to http://www.fxphone.com.

And don't forget ringtones! Because of the multitude of cellular phone ringtones available now, you never have to wonder whose cellular phone is ringing. And after all, to be stylish you want a ringtone that not only is unique but defines your personality.

So go forth and do your research and find the best service for you. Talk to you later.

Rollback Rx – A Great Pc Maintenance Solution

Maintaining a PC or a network of PCs has become very easy with RollBack Rx system restore software, which lets you do a complete pc restore, at the same time retaining all the data even if it has been created after the system restore point. As an advanced PC maintenance solution, Rollback Rx is great as a data recovery solution. Compared to other PC maintenance applications in the market, Rollback Rx is way ahead in its category. It takes system snapshots and choosing a snapshot does the pc restore.

Rollback Rx Snapshots

A snapshot in Rollback Rx is a checkpoint for system configuration, indicating a specific point in time. Unlimited snapshots are possible with Rollback Rx Pro. So this means unlimited number of system configurations. Each of these is stored as a snapshot, and you can choose among them to do a PC restore when you have to fix computer problems. In other words, you can roll back or roll ahead to choose the system state you want. These snapshots, which are literally maps of the sectors on the hard drive where data is stored, are stored on the hard drive itself within the Rollback Rx’s system data structure. No files or folders are used as backup – the snapshots are parts of the hard drive sector. One question that keeps coming up is what happens if you change the Rollback Rx password and do a system restore to a point before when you changed it. The new password will still hold good.

Easing Critical Updates

If you are a system administrator you will be happy to hear that RollBack Rx makes it very easy to accommodate for Windows Critical Updates. You need not have batch files or complicated scripting. More than anything else, you need not leave your systems on through the night, risking all sorts of additional computer problems. What RollBack Rx does is to free up your time by keeping your network of computers automatically updated with the most recent security patches, so that you can peacefully attend to other priorities.

As far as compatibility with antivirus or antispyware application goes, Rollback Rx system restore software works with them seamlessly. Rollback Rx can protect from day zero attacks without any data loss too. But every system user wants their antivirus and antispyware application to provide real time protection in the prevention of virus and spyware attacks. Rollback Rx enables antivirus signature updates to happen automatically. There is no folder redirection or downtime scheduling involved, avoiding a host of additional problems. Just schedule to take a system snapshot before or after any updates with Rollback Rx system restore software.

How to Start Video Blogging?

Videoblogging is the next generation of posting ideas and products over the internet. Everybody knows about textblogging. Now they use videos for a better way of expression. This form of communication may entail a lot of resources, but it is all worth it. If pictures say a thousand words, videoblogging exceeds that by far.

A videoblog requires larger disk spaces on websites, a faster server, and a whole new set of programs to support it. Videoblogs can be fed through RSS. This is technology of syndicating your website to other RSS aggregators.

Videoblogging works with people on the internet expressing their selves. Now if you put this on a business prospective, you are up to a lot of benefits. Think of it as a powerful tool in making showing your prospective customers your line of products or your services. It’s just like showing a commercial all for free. And if you videoblog through RSS, then most probably you are getting your target market.

People like to see what they are going to buy. Some would like to see proof and be sure that they are getting their money’s worth before shelving their dimes on it. All of us know the influence of a thirty second commercial. The effect of videoblogging is similar to that. You show your product, people watch it. If they like it, they buy it. If you present it good enough, they’ll buy the product even if they don’t need it.

Now on the web, things are pretty much static, unlike in television in which all are moving. If you post something that is mobile, it would most likely catch attention. Now imaging your product parading in all it’s royalty through videoblog. You’ll get phone call orders in no time.

If your business is just starting up, you can create a videoblog right at your own home. All you need is your web camera, microphone, video software, and lights. For as long as you know how to use your camera, then you can create a videoblog.

Invest in a good web camera. The higher its resolution is the better the output. And you like to present your goods in the optimum way so get the best one possible. Make a short story, or just capture your goods in one go. Just make sure you are getting the best profile for each. Get those creativity juices flowing.

Lights are important in a production. Make sure you illuminate entirely the area you are going to use to create videoblog. The brighter the area, the crispier the images will be. You can also use lighting effects for added appeal to the presentation.

Should you require sounds for your videoblog, you need a microphone. Record you voice as a voice over for promoting the product and its benefit to consumers. Sounds are as important as videos on a videoblog. It is advisable to make your sound effects as enticing as the video.

Your video editing software can be any program. You need this to finalize your work. You can add sounds, delete some bad angles, or insert some still pictures in there too. Some programs are user-friendly and can be used even with zero knowledge on video editing. Even simple video editing programs should do the trick. Select your background carefully too. The light affects the presentation so make sure that the background and the light complements each other.

Videoblogging is a great tool but it also has it downside. It may slow down the computer so other may steer clear of it. Download time may also be time consuming especially if customer is still on a dial- up connection.

But don’t let those stop you. Let videoblogging be an alternative for you, though it is best to still keep the text and pictures present in your presentation to accommodate all possible viewers of your site.

Nowadays, the more creative you are in presenting your product to the market, they more you are likely to succeed. Videoblogging offers an interactive way of selling. You involve the customers. You instill in them the advantage of your goods. And at times, those are enough to make a sale.

Get Your Website to Profit With the Best Affiliate Programs Available

The Internet is one of the most frequently used tools for communication today. There are over millions of people who log on to the Internet every single day. Besides, with the benefits that the Internet gives, who would not want to be a part of this information superhighway.

With the Internet, you can communicate with your family and friends through emails and instant messengers, you can purchase goods and services without leaving your own home, and the Internet is one of the most promising income generating tools that everyone can use today.

In the past, you needed products or services in order to make money through the Internet. Today however, you can make money through the Internet by using affiliate programs. This program will allow you to make a substantial amount of money out of your website and is a very good home business that you would want to get in to.

First of all, you need to know what an affiliate program is and how it works in order to fully understand how you can make some money out of it. Affiliate programs is like a joint venture where you or your website becomes a partner with another website that have already developed a product or service that they are already selling in the Internet. As a partner, your job is to direct the visitors of your website to your partner website and hope that they will purchase the products or services being offered. Your website will be like the company's marketing arm, among several.

The company you plan on being affiliated to will be providing all the necessary tools that you need in order to start the affiliate program. They will be providing the links, and some companies will provide free e-books on how you can effectively earn from affiliate programs.

The best way to profit from your website through affiliate programs is by promoting your website in the Internet. The key to success in affiliate programs is targeted traffic. This is why you should think of a product or service that you would want to promote and also a product or service that you are knowledgeable about. Think about your hobby. For example, if you like fixing cars, you want an affiliate program that promotes cars, or car parts.

In your website, you will then discuss about your hobby. Make some articles and post it in article publishing websites and also in your own site. Since your affiliate program is selling cars or car parts or even car accessories, the traffic you generate in your website will have a greater chance of clicking the link or banner of your affiliate website and buy from that website. You will then earn a commission out of the sold product.

As you can see, it is very simple to earn money from affiliate programs. However, when you are just starting out in the business of affiliate programs, you have to work hard to establish your reputation as an expert in the product or service you are promoting. The best way to do this is publish your articles about a particular product frequently. This will build your reputation in the Internet and soon, you will get that targeted traffic you have been always wanting. It is also a good idea to update your website once in a while (once a week) with tips and tricks on a particular product.

The best thing about affiliate programs is that you do not have to be in front of your computer 24 hours a day 7 days a week. All you need is a few minutes of checking up in your website and also check out your earnings in your affiliate programs. Always remember to update your website frequently in order to keep your readers and keep them buying from your affiliate website.

RSS – Taking It To The People

If you are business blogging (b-blogging) you are likely finding Real Simple Syndication (RSS) an informational bonus for you in developing knowledge-based content for your blog or website.

In reality you have participated in the successful marketing of someone else’s blog. Obviously this is good news for the blog you are gleaning information from, but it can also be a positive lesson for you as well.

Let’s follow this line of thinking to its logical conclusion.

1) An online business developed a blog in an effort to drive consumers to their online business.

2) You visited the blog and found the information useful.

3) You sign up for an RSS feed so you are made aware of new content when it is posted.

4) You routinely link to the blog you visit because it has great material your readers would be interested in.

5) That business receives additional visits because your blog readers trust you enough to accept your recommendation of the material.

If you are b-blogging without incorporating an RSS feed there are many potential visitors who are left in the dark about the potential of your blog. An RSS feed can act as a mini press release. The notice is sent to a group of individuals interested in any new information you may have available.

I have always spoken highly of the use of a press release, and an RSS feed is an online equivalent for a more specific and motivated group of consumers. Certainly they are interested first in the information you can provide, but there will be a certain consumer conversion rate that may be attributed to your willingness to offer an RSS feed.

You can also consider an RSS feed a means of directing potential customers to your own ‘publication’. In an interesting twist, the marketing of your online store through blogging or knowledge-based content has made it possible for you to become an actual publisher of valued content.

Publishing is no longer an elusive genre reserved for the gifted or fortunate. You can effectively use your time, talent and passion to create a blogging publication that can gain a substantial readership. While this is important in and of itself it is not simply a matter of playing into your own personal interests, it should be called what it actually is – crucial marketing. The same concept applies to new site content you make available.

This strategy is not simply for those who are more established or have a bigger name. As an online company you have the ability to take your message to the people using an RSS feed – and they might just love you for it.