The Tech Bros

For those of you who either write your own software or hire someone to write it for you will definitely appreciate this article. Software Escrow is kind of like an insurance policy in case a business deal goes south. When you hire someone to code  software for you, there are always questions that must ask and decisions that you must make. One of the main decisions that is most often overlooked is whether or not you get a copy of the source code.

The source code is basically a list of commands that the programmer writes in order to create the software. The source code then is made into an executable file (.exe) in which someone uses to run the file (hence the word “executable”). For example this website that you are looking at contains source code, but when you type in the URL, the code is then executed and displays the end result in your browser. Pretty cool, huh?

So why on earth would you want the source code of something that you hired a programmer to write? It’s simple. If you have a copy of the source code, then you can easily alter what your program does. If you had a copy of The Tech Bros source code, you could alter the way everything appears on the site.

Often, companies will just alter the code for you, because they want to protect their intellectual property. But, what if something happens to the company and they go out of business or go bankrupt? Will it all just disappear? That’s where the Software Escrow comes into play. The programmer will give a copy of the source code to a neutral third party (Software Escrow), and they will not release it unless under certain conditions.  There are a lot more circumstances, but I used bankruptcy and going out of business as these common problems.

Software Escrow is not the answer to all of your problems, and you must remember that nothing is 100% fool proof. Something can always happen with the Software Escrow, plus it always ads expenses to your transactions. Like everything else, Software Escrow has its pros and its cons, so be sure to choose wisely if it’s right for you.

In many cases it is a very good investment. Some people look at it as an insurance policy. It’s up to you whether or not you are willing to take that risk.

There are many users out there that will not pay attention to your warnings and download that weather update system full of infectious Spyware. Or maybe you already have Spyware infecting your computer, and have no idea how to get rid of it. The secret is to start fresh. One thing that you must remember is that it is crucial to back-up and restore everything on your computer in case something gets infected. This is the only sure-fire way to completely eliminate Spyware from your already infected computer.

Every time you go to download anything from a site that is not a brand-name portal, you should back up all the files on your computer. For instance, every time that I install a new plugin or a new script for The Tech Bros, I always back-up every single one of my files first. This way, if something does go wrong I can easily re-upload all my original files, and the site will be good as new again. The same goes for your computer. If you back-up your hard drive before you download something, it will save you a lot of time and heartache. This is one of the most effective ways to alleviate the sting from Spyware.

Do you have teens in your house that download every single offer that pops up on their computer? Or maybe you have some family members that just can’t resist the word “Free”? Well the old saying, “Nothing is free”, proves itself once again. You might not be paying money for it now, but in the end you’ll surely pay the price with annoying pop ups, spam email, and hours of your time trying to bring your computer back from it’s “Zombie” state.

You also need to know that every time  you download one of these software programs, you are incouraging people to create more Spyware, because someone’s getting a paycheck for it. Read the rest of this entry »

So, basically you want to learn how to eliminate that annoying spyware that slows down your computer. But do you really know what Spyware is? Maybe you’ve heard the term “Spyware” from your computer tech support, a magazine article, or even your really intelligent grandson. In order to get rid of something, you have to know what it is. Below I have listed some major types of this so called, “Spyware”.

Spyware: An application that covertly gathers information about your computing habits that may send the data to some unknown site - aka “key loggers”. (This is not the same as programs that contain Viruses and Trojans.) Read the rest of this entry »

Sometimes the truth hurts, but here it is anyway: You will struggle with spyware at work, home, and on family and friends’ computers for the next several years. Spam will be choked down to a manageable stream this year, but spyware will fill the gap, costing you precious hours cleaning the infected (and re-infected) computers of your friends and family.

My home office lab is the spyware front line. I routinely download programs for testing, then run a combination of pop-up blockers, spam protectors, Registry rooters and cookie cleaners. I’ll quarantine 635 Registry spyware droppings one day, delete 31 spyware cookies the next and start all over again the next week. I’ve tested dozens of new utilities and dutifully download the latest version of each. So don’t waste any more time searching for the best solution to the problem, because we are going to tell you the top 10 best ways to eliminate spyware.

Modern video gaming systems are starting to use more audio and video conferencing software! You can play a war game against other gamers anywhere else in the world, and talk trash to them at the same time via a headset. When making conference calls, it’s important to make sure first of all that everyone is seeing eye to eye on the technology that’s going to be used. Sometimes, more traditional investors and older corporate managers may have a problem with appreciating new technology, so when using high-tech conferencing software, you may find yourself using the audio conference call features most frequently. Although, I do believe that sometime in the near future, we will be seeing a lot more video conferencing.

Technology is developing more and more right before our eyes. Video Conferencing has become one the newest, biggest ways to communicate. Starting out mainly for use in business, video conferencing could soon be used in schools across the country.

New technologies such as videoconferencing bring new ways for teachers to work with students and encourage the development of strategies more consistent with the emerging technology. Although the use of videoconferencing is fairly new to the classroom there are numerous ways which creative educators have already found to use this new medium. Videoconferencing is an interactive communication medium which lets students and teachers have a visual connection to those they are working with whether they are down the hall, across the street or on the other side of the globe. With the introduction of low cost conferencing systems, which permit the use of inexpensive cameras and low cost or free software such as the Cornell version of CU-SeeMe, videoconferencing will be in the hands of even more educators as the Internet becomes more available in the school setting.

Sure, we’ve heard RIAA-admiring lawyers affirm that ripping your own CDs is in fact “stealing,” but it seems the aforementioned entity is putting its money where its mouth is in a case against Jeffrey Howell. Reportedly, the Scottsdale, Arizona resident is being sued by the RIAA, and rather than Mr. Howell just writing a check and calling it a day, he’s fighting back in court. Interestingly, it seems that the industry is maintaining that “it is illegal for someone who has legally purchased a CD to transfer that music into their computer.” Ira Schwartz, the industry’s lawyer in the case, is arguing that MP3 files created on his computer from legally purchased CDs are indeed “unauthorized copies,” and while we’ve no idea what will become of all this, we suppose you should go on and wipe those personal copies before you too end up in handcuffs.

Update: We got some more info on the case — it looks like Jeffrey’s actually being sued for illegal downloading, not ripping, but this whole “ripping is illegal” tactic is still pretty distasteful. Check out this post for the full story. [Engadget]

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You may recall Libya’s initial pledge to purchase 1.2 million low-cost lappies from OLPC, but some 12 months later, it looks like the nation’s education ministry has given its business (for realz this time) to Intel and Microsoft. Reportedly, the country placed an order in August for 150,000 Classmate PCs, and deployment has just recently begun. Intel spokeswoman Agnes Kwan noted that Intel and Microsoft were “not subsidizing the price of the laptops,” but she failed to mention exactly how much the Libyan education ministry was forking out for the machines. Furthermore, Kwan stated that Nigeria was also on board and should be placing an order of its own soon, but considering how sketchy these commitments have been in the past, we wouldn’t hold our breath just yet. [Engadget]

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Who could have guessed that asbestos, a material that would provide shelter to many human being or give insulation benefit for many offices and homes would also be lethal for human life. Fume and fiber of asbestos kill many as it creates Mesothelioma cancer.  Mesothelioma is a critical and deadliest form of cancer often caused by the exposure to asbestos fibers which affect and damage the mesothelium tissue that lines our lungs, heart, stomach and other organs of human body.

Fatefully, people who inhaled asbestos particles while working on jobs develop this rare type of cancer. The signs of this type of cancer may not appear until 10 to 20 years of exposure. 

Luckily, mesothelioma is not contagious but the bad news is it is difficult to diagnose. Read the rest of this entry »