Friday, July 16, 2010

Website statistics

As of May 2010:

Average hits hour: 88,209
Average daily hits: 2,117,021
Average monthly hits: 63,510,641
Average daily page views: 364,353
Average monthly page views: 10,930,584
Average monthly data transfer:328 Gig
Average page views per user: 2
Yearly page views: 126,838,134*
Yearly page hits: 643,782,684*

*Year of 2009 to beginning of 20
10

Page statistics:

Current page count: 8,642 +
Current image count: 1,340 +
Current text count:217 +

Forum statistics (as of June 2010):

Total Posts: 702,419+
Total Topics: 96,464+
Total Members: 47,692+

History

May 2010 - Converted the mostly table driven site to a CSS style website. This update involved several hundred thousand changes throughout the site and added more additional features including better RSS feed support and the printing support.

August 2009 - Computer Hope mentioned in Reader's Digest Fix Computers, Cars and Appliances for Free article.

August 2009 - Computer Hope mentioned on the Today Show.

March 2009 - Computer Hope mentioned on the BBC Webscape show.

November 2008 - Computer Hope releases the Process / HijackThis tool.

March 2008 - Computer Hope releases its free System Information script tool and Is it up tool.

September 2007 - Posted our 1,000th question and answer document.

March 2007 - Completed conversion to the new Computer Hope forums. The new forums offer many new features, fix all of the issues we were encountering, and increase the overall performance and future capabilities. The new forums can be found here.

December 2006 - Posted our 900th question and answer document and completed the complete the first major overhaul of the Computer Hope site.

August 2004 - Computer Hope surpasses one billion hits.

May 2004 - Computer Hope publishes its word converter program, the Computer Hope forum exceed 1,000 users, and Computer Hope posts its revised online help section and chat room.

March 2004 - Computer Hope receives over four million unique visitors and over twenty seven million hits.

March 2004 - Implemented the Computer Hope online chat room and the Computer Hope online forums to help broaden Computer Hope's online community and means to help users with their computer related questions.

January 2003 - Computer Hope develops numerous new scripts to help with automating many of its processes, creates a new search engine, updates the content on hundreds of pages, and completes the majority of its new dictionary.

April 2002 - Computer Hope begins the process of completely redoing its dictionary, refreshing each of the thousands of definitions with more information and links to related information and definitions.

January 2002 - Computer Hope receives over two million unique visitors and over eighteen million hits.

March 2001 - Computer Hope receives over one million unique visitors and eight and a half million hits.

March 2001 - Computer Hope is featured in PC World Sixth Annual Best Free Stuff on the Web (Page 126).

February 2001 - Computer Hope publishes its first weekly newsletter.

February 16, 1999 - Develop custom search engine.

December 1, 1998 - Computer Hope reaches over One Million hits in its first month.

November 2, 1998 - Computer Hope is released to the public. Information about Computer Hope's name change can be found on document CH000004.

Website Goals

With the increasing popularity of Computer Hope, we have noticed a decrease in the amount of e-mails and questions we get answered each day. Therefore, this year we continue to improve our overall customer service for Computer Hope. With this goal in mind, we plan on doing the below this year.

About Computer Hope

Computer Hope is a collection of free services that allows any user to access its database of extensive free computer related information. With these resources available, Computer Hope has become a popular destination for end-users as well as computer support facilities for answering computer related questions.

Some of the services that Computer Hope is able to offer include free technical support, computer product information, free online forum, computer product buying tips, third-party computer company information, computer dictionary, weekly computer newsletter, daily computer news, and much more. Each of these services help make Computer Hope the number one free computer services on the Internet.

DSR

Short for Dell System Restore, DSR is the name given to the restore process that re-installs Windows or restores the computer back to how it was when you got it from the factory. The DSR can be done on many Dell computers today by pressing the CTRL + F11 as the computer is booting up. Additional information about this feature can be found on our hidden partition definition.

Also see: Hidden partition, Restore

D2D

  1. Short for disk-to-disk, D2D is a type of backup solution that copies data from one hard disk drive to another hard disk drive. This could be from the primary hard disk drive in the computer to another internal or external hard disk drive connected to the same computer.
  2. D2D or disk-to-disk is also the name of the hidden partition found on Acer computers that is used to restore Acer computers back to their factory settings. See our hidden partition definition for additional information.

Also see: Backup, Hidden partition, Restore

Rig

Slang sometimes used to describe a computer. For example, someone may say "I'm making a gaming rig!", which is another way of saying they're in the process of building or buying a computer meant for computer gaming.

Password manager

Software utility used to store and manage the passwords you use to log into online services such as your banking account. What makes a password manager unique when compared to simply just storing your username and password information in a text file is that these programs will encrypt all login information and will only un-encrypt the data if you know the master password. To the right is an example of the KeePass login page to access all stored passwords.

Paintbrush

Software feature found in Image and Paint editors that allows the user to paint on the image they're currently viewing. Using a paintbrush users can make edits to the image or create something new on the image such as giving someone a mustache. To the right is an example of what the paintbrush icon commonly looks like in most paintbrush programs.

Hidden partition

Sometimes referred to as the recovery partition, the hidden partition is a type of partition often found on OEM computers such as Acer, ASUS, Dell, eMachine, and HP (Compaq) computers that allows the user to restore their computer back to how it was when they first received their computer without the need of a CD or DVD. Hidden partitions are accessed either through Windows using a pre-installed application that came with the computer or by pressing a key combination as the computer boots up. Below are some examples of how to access this partition as the computer is booting up. Often it's easiest to simply press the key mentioned below over and over as the computer is booting up or if it's two keys holding down the modifier key and then pressing the other key over and over.

  • Alt + F10 - Access Acer disk-to-disk (D2D) recovery partition. Note: you may need to enable the D2D option in CMOS setup.
  • F9 - Access ASUS EEE PC hidden partition.
  • F11 - Access the Compaq (Hewlett Packard) recovery partition.
  • Ctrl + F11 or F8 - Access Dell computers Dell System Restore (DSR) partition on many different models.
  • F11 - Access eMachine option to restore backup copy.
  • F11 - Access Gateway hidden restore partition
  • F11 - Access Lenovo hidden recovery partition.
  • F10 - Access Sony hidden restore partition.
  • 0 (zero key) or F8 - Access Toshiba hidden partition.

Finally, you may have the option between a Non-Destructive System Restore and Full System Restore. For computers that have the Non-Destructive System Restore option or an option similar, we suggest trying this option first. This can resolve a lot of Windows related issues without erasing of your personal data such as family photos. For more serious issues or if the non-destructive option doesn't work do a Full System Restore. This will delete all files on your computer however will resolve any issue your computer

TipIf your computer did not come with this hidden partition or you've deleted it the only way to restore your computer would be to use a Windows CD and boot from that CD. However, this will only re-install Windows and not any of the other software or drivers that came with your computer.

Fn

Short for Function, the Fn key is a keyboard key found on laptop computers that allows you to perform special functions on the laptop such as turning up the brightness or contrast, switching video modes, and/or printing the screen.

Above is an example of the Fn keyboard key found on a laptop. As can be seen in this example the laptop has a color coded Fn key and matching colors on the keys with symbols symbols representing what the keys do. In this example pressing and holding down the Fn key and pressing the up or down arrows would increase or decrease the brightness. Other laptops may have the Fn key with a square around it and similar symbols on other keys such as the F7 and F8 key.

What to do when getting artifacts?

This can depend on where you're encountering the artifacts. Below are some general suggestions in troubleshooting artifact related issues.

  1. Check connections. Disconnect and re-connections to ensure firmly connected.
  2. If your computer monitor is displaying artifacts regardless of what program you're in try a different monitor on the computer. If same issues persist make sure you've got the latest video drivers and that your video card is firmly connected into the computer.
  3. If you're digital camera is generating artifacts in your pictures make sure you quality is set to the highest possible quality. If all settings are set to their highest quality and all pictures you take have artifacts it's likely a digital camera limitation or issue with the camera.
  4. If you're getting artifacts when compressing or changing a video from one format to another try a different format.
  5. If you're getting artifacts on your TV display and have cable or a satellite connection make sure you're getting a strong signal. Often it's best to contact your provider to verify your connection is good and strong.

Artifacts

More commonly known as a digital artifact, when referring to computers and electronics. An artifact is any type of error or glitch that occurs during a signal transmission or interpretation. Some examples of where you may encounter artifacts include: artifacts generated when taking a picture with a digital camera, artifacts that randomly occur during the transmission of a digital image and/or audio, and artifacts created from the compression of a signal or data.

Additional information:

What about a hardware firewall?

If you have a firewall on your router or have another hardware firewall it is ok if the Windows Firewall is left enabled. Because this is not a software program running on your computer it will not cause any conflicts.

Should I disable the Windows Firewall if I install another one?

Question:

Should I disable the Windows Firewall if I install another one?

Answer:

Yes. Just like an anti-virus your computer should only have one software firewall enabled and running. Having more than one firewall can cause conflictions and often will prevent your Internet from working properly.

Non-volatile

Sometimes abbreviated as NVRAM, non-volatile memory is any type of memory or storage that will be saved regardless if the power to the computer is on or off. The best example of non-volatile memory and storage is a computer hard disk drive. If data is stored on a hard disk drive it'll remain on that drive regardless if the power is interrupted, which is why it's the best place to store your data.

Hard Drive

Inside a computer hard disk drive

Hard drive

The computer's main storage media device used to permanently store all data on the computer. Also referred to as a hard disk drive or abbreviated as HD or HDD, the hard drive was first introduced on September 13, 1956 and consists of one or more hard disk platters inside of air sealed casing. Most hard drives are permanently stored in an internal drive bay at the front of the computer and are connected with either ATA, SCSI, or a SATA cable and power cable. Below is an illustration of the inside of a hard disk drive.

Thursday, July 15, 2010

A hard disk drive

a non-volatile storage device for digital data. It features one or more rotating rigid platters on a motor-driven spindle within a metal case. Data is encoded magnetically by read/write heads that float on a cushion of air above the platters.

Hard disk manufacturers quote disk capacity in SI-standard powers of 1000, wherein a terabyte is 1000 gigabytes and a gigabyte is 1000 megabytes. With file systems that measure capacity in powers of 1024, available space appears somewhat less than advertised capacity.

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Understanding the Field of Communication

The field of communication is typically broken into three distinct camps: human communication, mass communications, and communication disorders.

Visual communication

Visual communication is communication through visual aid. It is the conveyance of ideas and information in forms that can be read or looked upon. Primarily associated with two dimensionalimages, it includes: signs, typography, drawing, graphic design, illustration, colour and electronic resources. It solely relies on vision. It is form of communication with visual effect. It explores the idea that a visual message with text has a greater power to inform, educate or persuade a person. It is communication by presenting information through visual form.

Looking

A major feature of social communication is eye contact. It can convey emotion, signal when to talk or finish, or aversion. The frequency of contact may suggest either interest or boredom.

Gestures

One of the most frequently observed, but least understood, cues is a hand movement. Most people use hand movements regularly when talking. While some gestures (e.g., a clenched fist) have universal meanings, most of the others are individually learned and idiosyncratic.

Facial Expressions

A smile, frown, raised eyebrow, yawn, and sneer all convey information. Facial expressions continually change during interaction and are monitored constantly by the recipient. There is evidence that the meaning of these expressions may be similar across cultures.

Physical Contact

Shaking hands, touching, holding, embracing, pushing, or patting on the back all convey messages. They reflect an element of intimacy or a feeling of (or lack of) attraction.

Posture

Obviously one can be lying down, seated, or standing. These are not the elements of posture that convey messages. Are we slouched or erect ? Are our legs crossed or our arms folded ? Such postures convey a degree of formality and the degree of relaxation in the communication exchange.

Orientation

People may present themselves in various ways: face-to-face, side-to-side, or even back-to-back. For example, cooperating people are likely to sit side-by-side while competitors frequently face one another.

Distance

The distance one stands from another frequently conveys a non-verbal message. In some cultures it is a sign of attraction, while in others it may reflect status or the intensity of the exchange.

Symbolic

This is the type of communication that makes use of religious, status, or ego-building symbols.

Signs

This is the mechanical type of communication, which includes the use of signal flags, the 21-gun salute, horns, and sirens.

Aesthetic

This is the type of communication that takes place through creative expressions: playing instrumental music, dancing, painting and sculpturing.

Physical

This is the personal type of communication. It includes facial expressions, tone of voice, sense of touch, sense of smell, and body motions.

Nonverbal communication

Nonverbal communication is the process of communicating through sending and receiving wordlessmessages. Such messages can be communicated through gesture, body language or posture; facial expression and eye contact, object communication such as clothing, hairstyles or even architecture, or symbols and infographics, as well as through an aggregate of the above, such as behavioral communication. Nonverbal communication plays a key role in every person's day to day life, from employment to romantic engagements.

Human communication

Human spoken and written languages can be described as a system of symbols (sometimes known as lexemes) and the grammars (rules) by which the symbols are manipulated. The word "language" is also used to refer to common properties of languages. Language learning is normal in human childhood. Most human languages use patterns of sound or gesture for symbols which enable communication with others around them. There are thousands of human languages, and these seem to share certain properties, even though many shared properties have exceptions.

There is no defined line between a language and a dialect, but the linguist Max Weinreich is credited as saying that "a language is a dialect with an army and a navy". Constructed languages such asEsperanto, programming languages, and various mathematical formalisms are not necessarily restricted to the properties shared by human languages.

Information communication revolutions

Over time, technology has progressed and has created new forms of and ideas about communication. The newer advances include media and communications psychology. Media psychology is an emerging field of study. These technological advances revolutionized the processes of communication. Researchers have divided how communication was transformed into three revolutionary stages:

In the 1st Information Communication Revolution, the first written communication began, with pictographs. These writings were made on stone, which were too heavy to transfer. During this era, written communication was not mobile, but nonetheless existed.


Communication

process of transferring information from one entity to another. Communication processes are sign-mediated interactions between at least two agents which share a repertoire of signs and semiotic rules. Communication is commonly defined as "the imparting or interchange of thoughts, opinions, or information by speech, writing, or signs"[by whom?].

Communication is a process whereby information is enclosed in a package and is channeled and imparted by a sender to a receiver via some medium. The receiver then decodes the message and gives the sender a feedback. All forms of communication require a sender, a message, and an intended recipient, however the receiver need not be present or aware of the sender's intent to communicate at the time of communication in order for the act of communication to occur.

About CSC

CSC is a global leader in providing technology-enabled solutions and services through three primary lines of business. These include Business Solutions and Services, the Managed Services Sector and the North American Public Sector. CSC's advanced capabilities include system design and integration, information technology and business process outsourcing, applications software development, Web and application hosting, mission support and management consulting. The company has been recognized as a leader in the industry, including being named by FORTUNE Magazine as one of the World's Most Admired Companies for Information Technology Services (2010). Headquartered in Falls Church, Va., CSC has approximately 94,000 employees and reported revenue of $16.1 billion for the 12 months ended April 2, 2010. For more information, visit the company's

About the Gartner Magic Quadrant

The Magic Quadrant is copyrighted 2010 by Gartner, Inc. and is reused with permission. The Magic Quadrant is a graphical representation of a marketplace at and for a specific time period. It depicts Gartner's analysis of how certain vendors measure against criteria for that marketplace, as defined by Gartner. Gartner does not endorse any vendor, product or service depicted in the Magic Quadrant, and does not advise technology users to select only those vendors placed in the "Leaders" quadrant. The Magic Quadrant is intended solely as a research tool, and is not meant to be a specific guide to action. Gartner disclaims all warranties, express or implied, with respect to this research, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.

CSC provides

a unique and independent approach for communication solutions for the world's largest and most successful enterprises," said Russ Owen, president of CSC's Managed Services Sector. "Our focus on implementing long-term strategies and integrating innovative technologies is allowing our customers to meet their unique requirements and focus on the priorities that drive their business success. We believe CSC's placement in the leaders quadrant demonstrates we deliver advanced, secure and sustainable communication solutions available today."

CSC Positioned in 'Leaders'

FALLS CHURCH, Va., Jul 13, 2010 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- CSC (CSC 46.96, +1.09, +2.38%)announced today that it has been positioned in the "leaders" quadrant of the Gartner report, Magic Quadrant for Communications Outsourcing and Professional Services (COPS), North America. The report published on June 30, 2010, reviewed 16 vendors of information technology (IT) services for business communications systems in North America.

ABSTRACT

Digital technologists concern themselves with data - conventional representations of facts or ideas - and with machines for storing, transforming, and transmitting it. Although computing professionals also concern themselves with digital technology, they focus primarily on people and information-the meaning that people give to data. The use of data to convey information is vitally important to our social systems. This is underlined by recent research showing that dogs are much more able to get meaning from data than chimpanzees,

Monday, July 12, 2010

Anonymization of moving objects databases by clustering and perturbation

Information Systems, In Press, Accepted Manuscript, Available online 24 May 2010
Osman Abul, Francesco Bonchi, Mirco Nanni
Information Systems, In Press, Accepted Manuscript, Available online 24 May 2010
Osman Abul, Francesco Bonchi, Mirco Nanni

IFC EDBD/Aims and Scope

Information Systems, Volume 35, Issue 7, November 2010, Page IFC

Slicing the metric space to provide quick indexing of complex data in the main memory

Approximate algorithms with generalizing attribute values for k-anonymity

Optimized query routing trees for wireless sensor networks

Information Systems, In Press, Accepted Manuscript, Available online 25 June 2010
Panayiotis Andreou, Demetrios Zeinalipour-Yazti, Andreas Pamboris, Panos K. Chrysanthis, George Samaras

An International Journal

Information Systems Information systems are the software and hardware systems that support data-intensive applications. The journal Information Systems publishes articles concerning the design and implementation of languages, data models, process models, algorithms, software and hardware for information systems. Subject areas include data management issues as presented

Sunday, July 11, 2010

CMMI Version 1.2 Upgrade Training

This online training provides students who have taken CMMI Version 1.1 training the opportunity to understand the changes and improvements made in CMMI Version 1.2. It will help you to successfully make the transition from CMMI Version 1.1 to the updated Version 1.2 of the CMMI model, method and training. It does not matter which version of the Introduction to CMMI course that you attended (staged, continuous, or staged and continuous). The materials are designed to provide a general insight into the changes but also include refresher materials on important CMMI concepts.

CMMI Version 1.2 Instructor Training

This course has been updated to support the Version 1.2 CMMI® Product Suite. This three-day course introduces those interested in becoming SEI-authorized Introduction to CMMI Version 1.2 course instructors to details of the CMMI models and the Introduction to CMMI Version 1.2 course. The candidate instructors must have an evident in-depth understanding of CMMI models as well as effective teaching and facilitation skills to satisfactorily complete this course.

Acquisition Supplement for CMMI v1.2

This one-day course introduces acquisition managers and practitioners, appraisal team members, and process group (e.g., SEPG, EPG) members to CMMI fundamental concepts related to acquisition. CMMI for Acquisition (CMMI-ACQ) is a CMMI model designed for use in managing a supply chain by those who acquire, procure, or otherwise select and purchase products and services for business purposes. This CMMI model focuses on acquirer processes and contains best practices that address activities for initiating and managing the acquisition of products and services that meet the needs of the customer. Some types of acquisitions that would benefit from using CMMI-ACQ include government acquisition, supply chain management, procurement, and outsourcing.

Software Acquisition Survival Skills

This three-day course introduces participants to the unique challenges associated with acquiring software-intensive systems.

Interoperable Acquisition Overview

This workshop introduces key concepts for acquisition in the context of systems of systems. The focus is on how to integrate classical program management activities, system development practices, operational activities, and sustainment into an effective set of practices to attain interoperable capability enabled by systems exchanging information and operating on that information according to specified, agreed-to operational semantics across systems of systems.

Engineering Safety- and Security-Related Requirements for Software-Intensive Systems

This two day course covers the intersection of safety-, security-, and requirements engineering. Safety and security have a great deal in common with related concepts, analysis techniques, and goals, to protect valuable assets from unauthorized harm due to dangers (hazards and threats) which naturally suggest a risk-based approach to requirements analysis.

Acquisition Supplement for CMMI v1.2

This one-day course introduces acquisition managers and practitioners, appraisal team members, and process group (e.g., SEPG, EPG) members to CMMI fundamental concepts related to acquisition. CMMI for Acquisition (CMMI-ACQ) is a CMMI model designed for use in managing a supply chain by those who acquire, procure, or otherwise select and purchase products and services for business purposes. This CMMI model focuses on acquirer processes and contains best practices that address activities for initiating and managing the acquisition of products and services that meet the needs of the customer. Some types of acquisitions that would benefit from using CMMI-ACQ include government acquisition, supply chain management, procurement, and outsourcing.

What will you learn

This course will help participants to

  • interpret level 4 and 5 practices with greater understanding and consistency
  • understand and apply high maturity concepts
  • understand what organizations must achieve to be considered "high maturity"
  • understand how CMMI, TSP, and Six Sigma relate and can work together
  • effectively and efficiently address the business objectives of improvement

Who should attend

  • Engineering process group (e.g., SEPG, EPG) members
  • Professionals interested in applying high maturity concepts
  • Professionals interested in how CMMI and Six Sigma complement each other
  • SCAMPI Lead Appraisers and SCAMPI B&C Team Leaders
  • Appraisal team members
  • CMMI instructors

Understanding CMMI High Maturity Practices

This 4-day course is the definitive source of information about CMMI levels 4 and 5. If your organization is or plans to be a high-performance organization that consistently uses high maturity practices, this course is a must. This course explains what high maturity is and its characteristics. It provides detailed explanations of the concepts and practices at maturity levels 4-5 as well as examples of how statistical methods and tools can be applied to assist in the proper implementation of these practices.

CMMI levels 4 and 5 and Six Sigma are a powerful combination that enables organizations to achieve engineering excellence. This course covers both Six Sigma concepts and tips for effectively performing, managing, and improving processes. Process-performance baselines, process-performance models, control charts and other techniques are explained and their use is demonstrated through examples and exercises.

What will you learn

  • understand the process improvement life cycle
  • implement an effective process improvement infrastructure
  • be an effective process group team lead or member and understand what is required for a group to work well
  • understand a systems-level view of how process improvement is planned and implemented using a capability maturity model
  • know what knowledge and skills are important for process group members and how they can be applied
  • apply a toolkit of relevant process improvement and change management skills and techniques within their organization
  • begin gaining confidence in their ability to perform their role in the process group

Who should attend

  • process group members (e.g., PG, EPG, SEPG)
  • those responsible for leading and facilitating process improvement in their organization
  • those preparing to adopt a CMMI or CMM model to guide process improvement in their organization

Mastering Process Improvement

This three-day course introduces participants to a series of effective practices for process improvement. These practices address the intertwined challenges faced by change agents in conducting a process improvement effort. This course is appropriate for members of a process group (e.g., PG, EPG, SEPG), for those leading and facilitating process improvement activities, and for those preparing to adopt a CMMI or CMM model to guide process improvement in their organization.

The SEI's IDEAL model, which is a high-level description of the phases of process improvement, serves as the framework for the approach taught in this class. The course provides a brief overview of the first two IDEAL model phases (initiating and diagnosing), then introduces the Process Change Methodology (PCM), which identifies activities needed to apply the last three IDEAL model phases (establishing, acting and learning). The eight stages of the PCM include: organizing and preparing for process improvement; conducting an organization scan; establishing technical working groups; understanding projects' current states; redesigning processes; developing whole product solutions; conducting pilots and evaluations; and facilitating organizational learning. The course discussion of each stage consists of activities and skill sets that a process group employs to accelerate broad adoption of new processes and technologies that support model goals.

What will you learn

Successful completion of this course will enable participants to

  • describe the components of CMMI-DEV models and their relationships
  • discuss the process areas
  • describe the model content

Who should attend

  • product developers and process implementers
  • anyone interested in learning about CMMI

Introduction to CMMI Version 1.2

This three-day course introduces systems and software engineering managers and practitioners, appraisal team members, and process group (e.g., SEPG, EPG) members to CMMI fundamental concepts. CMMI for Development (CMMI-DEV) models are tools that help organizations improve their ability to develop and maintain quality products and services. CMMI-DEV models are an integration of best practices from proven discipline-specific process improvement models, including the CMM for Software, EIA 731, and the Integrated Product Development CMM.

The course is composed of lectures and class exercises with ample opportunity for participant questions and discussions. After attending the course, participants will be able to describe the components of CMMI-DEV models and their relationships, discuss the process areas in CMMI-DEV models, and locate relevant information in the model.

Successful completion of this course requires that participants actively participate in classroom discussions and exercises in all three days, not missing any classroom time.