New To Gaming, All You Need To Know About Flash Gaming Sites

Whew! According to Computer Gaming World, there are 80 gazillion free Flash games sites in the cyber world.
Popular sites are:
• www.games.yahoo.com -- this has card games, word games, arcade games, as well as puzzles. The number of violent games is limited so the site appeals to the “old-young” –those who are young at heart.
• www.shockwave.com -- a popular site with original games as well as PopCap ones. One can do a jigsaw here everyday.
• www.addictinggames.com – has free games that are updated every week—Friday. The site has action, arcade, puzzle, as well as sports games.
• www.arcadetown.com -- has Flash games, java games, downloads and more.
Since Flash offers many advantages to developers as well as players, many games are designed using Macromedia Flash. It is by far the best game platform and has incredible features.
In an industry that’s evincing exponential growth, Flash has become the universal and popular choice for multimedia intensive web sites. Flash, singly crosses most barriers—
• It supports complicated and wonderful graphics.
• Allows download of files via the Internet.
• And is compatible with playback devices.
In the world of Flash enabled games the hosting system is the web server itself. Flash enables web sites to host animated as well as interactive movies and games. There is no paraphernalia required. All that is needed is to download the game itself. The costs are minimal and not recurring.
To play on the web all that is required is: a web browser, a Flash player, and the Internet. Flash is the universal plug in needed to play games. It is installed on every PC with Windows XP and Mac.
Playing online can be fun and most games can now be played by many players from all round the world. Just keep in mind:
• That there are players who cheat at games. Look for PunkBuster software on the server, this detects cheats who try and gain unfair advantages.
• Play with others who have credibility and are accountable for their actions. Many online sites need verified log ins, they are actively managed gaming environments. This is a better choice for safe gaming.
• Create a select group of friends and use the broadband server to host a private gaming server.
• Do your research thoroughly. Seek safe and high quality gaming sites.
Gaming is in its golden phase and is set to reach new heights. Innovation, new business models, and unprecedented growth is expected to open new avenues in gaming.

Handling Your Email Addresses

--Company Email Addresses--
Web hosting companies should provide company email accounts for each person in your company. Email addresses should appear like this:
yourname@domain.com
lester@definiteweb.com
myname@companyname.com
--Web Mails--
Most websites work with web mails. Web-based email enable you to access email via a web browser such as Internet Explorer. You log into your email account via the Web to send and retrieve email. You are able to access your emails from anywhere in the world and it makes checking of emails convenient and portable. Web mails for your company will most probably be accessed at www.yourcompanyname.com/webmail
There are other forms of web mail options available such as Yahoo! Mail, Hotmail and Gmail.
--Email Forwarding--
Email forwarding allows you to have multiple email personalities. With email forwarding, you can setup aliases for other email accounts like
joe@mycompany.com forwarded to web-designs@definiteweb.com
joe@myothercompany.com forwarded to web-designs@definiteweb.com
joe@personalwebsite.com forwarded to web-designs@definiteweb.com
It makes tracking of emails easy; especially when you have multiple email accounts to check on.
--Mailing Lists--
It will be userful if you can send out emails to a large number of users. Start up with collecting opt-in email addresses from interested parties and send monthly promotions of your business products and services. Before long, your mailing list will be your another marketing channel of your business.

What Certification Should You Pursue After The CCNA ?

Once you've got your CCNA, you're ready to move on to the next level, the Professional certificaitons. For years, Cisco had one Professional certification, the Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP) certification. Over time, Cisco has expanded this level of certifications to include the Cisco Certified Security Professional (CCSP) and Cisco Certified Voice Professional (CCVP).
With security and voice being the two most rapidly expanding areas of today's networks, some new CCNAs consider going after the CCSP or CCVP without first adding the CCNP to their resume.
While it's temping to hurry up and get a Cisco security or voice certification, the best thing you can do for your networking career is achieve your CCNP certification first, then decide on the CCVP or CCSP.
Why? Because the CCNA is just the tip of a very large iceberg when it comes to routing and switching. It's a very important accomplishment, and the CCNA is indeed the foundation of your networking career, but you need to add on to that level of understanding routing and switching before moving on to more specialized areas.
Two examples are OSPF and BGP. You learn about the theory of OSPF and some basic and intermediate configurations of that protocol in your CCNA studies, but the knowledge you acquire of OSPF in your CCNP studies is invaluable. As for BGP, there is no BGP in the CCNA curriculum, but it is a great idea to have some BGP knowledge in today's networks. It's also good for your career.
I know it is a huge temptation to go after the security and voice certifications while not paying attention to the CCNP. Do yourself a huge favor and add the tremendous amount of routing and switching knowledge needed for the CCNP to your knowledgebase, and you can then move on to the CCSP or CCVP. Even better, you'll be better prepared to climb the biggest certification mountain around - the CCIE!

Cisco CCNP / BSCI Exam Tutorial: Leading Zero Compression

The BSCI exam and CCNP certification requires that you be well versed in the basics of IP Version 6, or IPv6. If you're new to IPv6, you'll quickly learn that it's not exactly just two more octets slapped onto an IPv4 address! IPv6 addresses are quite long, but there are two ways to acceptably shorten IPv6 address expression. To pass the BSCI exam, become a CCNP, and get that all-important understanding of IPv6, you've got to understand these different methods of expressing an IPv6 address. My last IPv6 tutorial discussed zero compression; today we'll take a look at leading zero compression.
Leading zero compression allows us to drop the leading zeroes from every field in the address. Where we could only use zero compression once in an IPv6 address expression, leading zero compression can be used as often as is appropriate. The key with leading zero compression is that there must be at least one number left in each field, even if that remaining number is a zero.
You sometimes see books or websites refer to leading zero compression as "dropping zeroes and replacing them with a colon", but that explanation can be a little confusing, since the blocks are separated with a colon to begin with. You're not really replacing the leading zeroes, you're dropping them.
Let's look at an example of leading zero compression. Taking the address 1234:0000:1234:0000:1234:0000:1234:0123, we have four different fields that have leading zeroes. The address could be written out as it is, or drop the leading zeroes.
Original format: 1234:0000:1234:0000:1234:0000:0123:1234
With leading zero compression: 1234:0:1234:0:1234:0:123:1234
There's no problem with using zero compression and leading zero compression in the same address, as shown here:
Original format: 1111:0000:0000:1234:0011:0022:0033:0044
With zero and leading zero compression: 1111::1234:11:22:33:44
Zero compression uses the double-colon to replace the second and third block of numbers, which were all zeroes; leading zero compression replaced the "00" at the beginning of each of the last four blocks. Just be careful and take your time with both zero compression and leading zero compression and you'll do well on the exam and in the real world. The keys to success here are remembering that you can only use zero compression once in a single address, and that while leading zero compression can be used as often as needed, at least one number must remain in each field, even if that number is a zero.

How To Save Big Bucks On A Laptop Computer

If you're a bargain shopper looking to get the most bang for your buck, you'll find no shortage of deals on the Internet.
And that's particularly true in the fast-changing world of laptop computers, where you'll find three bargain sources right at your fingertips:
1. Clearance Sales
Just like many brick-and-mortar retail stores, many computer manufacturer websites have clearance sections. On these web pages, you can find great deals on last year's leftovers.
These are all new products (unless otherwise stated) and carry their original warranties. The only difference is that the price has been reduced.
Of course the manufacturers aren't the only ones with clearance merchandise.
Major electronics and office supply retailers also include clearance sections on their websites, where you may be able to find the laptop bargain of your dreams.
2. Refurbished Laptops
Factory refurbs represent another great bargain opportunity. It works something like this:
  • Joe Blow buys a new laptop, but decides a week later he doesn't like the color.
  • He takes it back to the store within the store's stated return period, so the store is stuck with it.
  • Since they can't sell the laptop as new, the store sends it back to the manufacturer to be "refurbished."
  • The factory inspects that laptop to make sure everything works right, and then ships it out to a retailer that deals in refurbs.
  • The refurb retailer then sells it to you at a great discount off the original price.
Buying a refurb can literally save you hundreds.
3. Online Auctions
You can always logon to an auction website and find a great deal on a used laptop. However, beware!
Buying anything used carries with it some risk. Buying a used laptop carries more risk than most people should be willing to take.
When you buy a used laptop from a private party, you don't get any sort of warranty beyond DOA.
DOA stands for "dead on arrival", a common auction term that means the seller guarantees the item will work when it arrives at your house.
But what happens if your laptop dies two weeks after it arrives? You're out of luck, that's what.
There are enough bargains available on warrantied laptops that all but the most meager budgets should be able to avoid buying used.
Stick to clearance and refurb machines and you'll save yourself hundreds on your next laptop computer.

The Fundamentals of Software Testing

“The Fundamentals of Software Testing” is the first module of the ISEB Software Testing Foundation course and examination syllabus. ISEB recommend that Software Testing Foundation students spend 20% of their study time on the Software Testing Fundamentals course section. “The Fundamentals of Software Testing” is also the title of the opening chapter in the official ISEB Software Testing manual.

Understanding the fundamentals of software testing is clearly crucial to achieving proficiency according to the ISEB software testing professional standards. But what, precisely, are these “fundamentals” of software testing, and what do you need to know in order to pass the ISEB Software Testing Foundation examination?

Why is testing necessary?

According to Peter Morgan (freelance testing practitioner and member of the ISEB Software Testing Accreditation and Examination panel), an unnecessarily high proportion of IT systems fail to fulfil expectations – or fail to work at all – because of insufficient software testing prior to release.

Software testing cannot guarantee against software problems or even failure, but it can minimise the risk of faults developing once the software is in use. In order to understand why software testing is necessary, it is important to consider the causes and impact of IT systems failure, and the crucial role that testing plays in Quality Assurance.

The ISEB Software Testing Foundation training-courses focus on five learning requirements:

• The potential impact of an IT systems failure;
• Causes/effects of software failure;
• Why testing is necessary;
• Testing versus Quality Assurance;
• Basic industry terminology.

What is testing?

Software Testing is a method of identifying faults in the product before it is released; this includes defects in the software code and its execution, as well as any potential gap between what the code is supposed to do and what it actually does.

The ISEB Software Testing Foundation exam requires students to:

• Know the basic objectives of testing;

• Understand how these testing objectives apply in the context of creating, using and supporting software (including the difference between testing and ‘debugging’, and the different uses of static testing and dynamic testing).

General testing principles

The ISEB Software Testing courses introduce students to 7 software testing principles:

• Testing can show that problems exist, but not that problems do not exist.
• Testing covers a limited range of sample situations, and is not comprehensive.
• The earlier a problem is found, the less it costs to fix.
• Defects will tend to cluster around specific areas (e.g. system complexity, or staff inexperience). These areas can be particularly targeted by testers.
• A set of tests, run repeatedly, will have diminishing effect.
• The type, design and focus of testing will vary according to the software tested.
• A test that does not reveal errors does not prove that the software is error-free.

Fundamental test process

Software testing is not simply a case of reviewing documentation or running a software program to check for bugs. To ensure that the appropriate tests are operated effectively and return value on the invested resources, it is crucial that software testers carry out five basic activities, which the ISEB Software Testing guidance links to form a software testing process:

1. Test planning and control

a. Test planning defines what will be tested, how it will be tested, and who we will know when the testing is complete.
b. Test control is an iterative activity that compares the progress against the plan, and adjusts the plan as required.

2. Test analysis and design

a. Test analysis considers the specific conditions to be tested, and how these test conditions are to be combined into test cases.
b. Test design describes the expected outcome of the test, so that testers can easily recognise when a fault has occurred.

3. Test implementation and execution

Execution represents the most visible testing activity, and encompasses setting up the tests, generating test data, logging test activities and analysing the test results.

4. Evaluating exit criteria and reporting

The test “exit criteria” (established during “Test planning and control”) indicate that testing is complete.

5. Test closure activities

• Ensure that all documentation has been correctly completed
• Close down and archive the test environment, infrastructure and testware
• Hand over testware to maintenance team
• Log lessons learned

The psychology of testing

Selecting the appropriate individual(s) to perform the tests, and communicating the results of the tests to the developers, requires a basic understanding of the psychology of testers and developers.

The ISEB Software Testing guidance provides a hierarchy of ‘independence’ – that is, a list of individuals who could potentially test the software, gradated according to their perceived level of detachment from the development process:

• The authors of the code
• Members of the same development team as the authors of the code
• A different group within the same organization
• A different organization

There are varying advantages and disadvantages to individuals at different levels in the hierarchy performing the software tests. For example, the developer might be able to resolve a difficulty more quickly, but might be also be less likely to spot the difficulties in the first place.

In addition to the independence/detachment of the testers from the software development process, it is important to consider how testers can communicate the results of the test to the developers. The ISEB Software Testing Foundation exam requires students to explain strategies for providing courteous feedback on defects, for example:

• Focus on delivering quality, rather than pointing out mistakes;
• Test reports are not directed towards people but towards products;
• Discuss problems openly, and attempt mutual understanding;
• At the end of a discussion, confirm that both parties understand what has been agreed.

Summary

Understanding the fundamentals of software testing is crucial to passing the ISEB Software Testing Foundation examination. During an accredited ISEB Software Testing Foundation course, approximately two and a half hours should be devoted to studying what testing is, why it is necessary, and the fundamentals principles and processes behind a successful test performance.

Wireless Network

What is a Wireless Network?

It is a number of computers and devices connected together through Wireless connection via a Router to share information and to transmit data between them or for using the internet by many users using a single internet source.

What are the benefits of using a Wireless network?

* Simplify the network physical installation (where no cables needed to be installed).

* Having the network signal everywhere without being restricted to specific cable terminal locations.

* Increasing the number of users is so easily.

* It reduces the building's networking overall cost comparing with the wired network.

What are the wireless network components?

There are basically four components:

1. Modem: To provide the Internet to this network.

2. Wireless Router: To provide the network to the local network end points such as computers, laptops, printer …. Etc.

3. Cables: To connect the Router to the Modem and to configure the Router as well.

4. Wireless adapter: In case your computer doesn’t have a built in wireless component you have to have a Wireless Adapter.

What is the structure of building a wireless network?

The Modem receives the internet data signals from your ISP (Via ADSL line, cable Modem, wireless connection…etc) and convert and transmit those data to the Wireless Router via a Network cable.
Note: The Modem is transforming the Internet data signals from one medium (such as a ADSL connection medium) to an Ethernet medium (or we can call it LAN which is a network type used normally for home networks which is the abbreviation of Local Area Network) to make the data understandable for the computers and the devices.

The Wireless Router receives those data signals and transmits them to all the network terminals via wireless network medium.

Note: You can setup your wireless network without a Wireless Router in case if your Modem has a Router capabilities like the most of the new internet Modems.

The network terminals such as Computers and laptops have Wireless Adapters which communicate to the wireless network and complete the connection with the Wireless Router.

What are the benefits of having a Wireless router in my network?

Off course the below points would fit the case if your Modem is not a Router or your Router has no Wireless capabilities:

1. The dedicated Wireless Router will provide more security to your network hence it will work as a hardware firewall between your local network and the Internet line.

2. Your network connectivity signal strength will be more powerful especially when you purchase a Router with two antennas.

3. It’s more reliable to use a dedicated Router.

What are the things I have to take in consideration when building my own home wireless network in structure perspectives?

Before starting the Wireless network implementation you have to study the locations where you want the wireless signal to reach and to take the considerations on some important points:

1. When purchasing network devices such as Routers, wireless Access Points, wireless adapters…etc it’s better to choose their brands as the same brand for better compatibility and performance, you can choose equipment that supports three different wireless networking technologies: 802.11a, 802.11b, and 802.11g. Basically we recommend choosing 802.11g, because it offers excellent performance and is compatible with almost everything.

Note: Those different types of wireless networking technologies are referring to the IEEE standards which different amendments have implemented during the past years to enhance the Wireless technology performance in thier standards.

2. When purchasing a Wireless Router try to choose the one with two antennas for better signal strength and communication speed.

3. The Wireless network is affected by the Microwave devices and wireless devices such as a cordless handy phone so it’s better to prevent putting the wireless access points or wireless Routers near such devices and better to choose frequency bands which are different than the ones used by the cordless telephone, also the Wireless Networks affected by some kind of materials such as foils, hence all of the mentioned devices and materials would make an attenuation to the Wireless Networking signals and will reduce or might block the signal.

4. The Security of your Wireless network is the most important issue you have to take care about, if your Wireless network is not secured your neighbors might use your internet without your consent.

5. The location of your Wireless Router should be placed on a place where the signal can reach almost everywhere in your house equally, such location might be in the middle of the house or in a middle floor.

6. If you want to install a wireless network in a huge building you can simply use the Wireless Access points to extend the Wireless signals everywhere.

For more information on how to install and configure a Wireless network and other computer and Windows related issues, visit my website from the below link:

Email Frenzy

“I know that you understand what you think I said, but I am not sure you realize that what you heard is not what I meant”
RICHARD NIXON

According to the Radicati Group an estimated 183 billion emails are sent every day. That’s around 2 million emails every second sent by 1.2 billion email Users! Moreover, there are an estimated 516 million business email boxes worldwide. That’s a heck of a potential for mis-communication, misunderstandings, angry words, bad feelings and loss of productivity if the messages go wrong.

Communication experts say that email is good for INFORMATION and CONFIRMATION. However it’s not good for EMOTION or PERSUASION. It is very difficult to convey enthusiasm, empathy or sincerity via email. You can type the words, but one doesn’t get a sense of the way the words are conveyed, and therefore the message can be misinterpreted.

Here are some tips on email etiquette.

When sending:

•In character, e-mail is somewhere between an informal telephone call and a formal letter, but an e-mail can be easily kept as a permanent record – a phone call is more difficult. Avoid slang, careless writing, thoughtless comments, too many dots or exclamation marks.

•Consider the recipient – who really needs to know? Is it ‘nice to know’ or ‘essential to their job to know’? Consider using group names very carefully – it may save you time but does everyone on the group list really need that message?

•Talk to your boss about the types of information he/she needs to be copied in on.

•Beware of humour and sarcasm – unless you know the recipient very well.

•Where is the recipient? If they are in the same office area, why not talk to them instead? Think of how long it takes to ‘talk’ the message compared to having to write it out.

•Don’t use email as an excuse not to talk to somebody. Barriers in communicating with difficult people can be broken down by hearing your voice, or perhaps seeing you, to build better rapport.

•Never email in anger. Calm down first, or consider an alternative method – email can never convey emotion. Face to face can be a much more effective way of getting how you feel across to an individual.

•Indicate the subject of the e-mail, and the purpose, in the subject header, to help the recipient e.g. ‘Leadership Training: Joining Instructions below’.

•Keep to business issues, avoiding personal e-mails and gossiping.

•Include ‘pleasantries’ at the start of the email e.g. ‘Hope you’re having a good week’ or perhaps a ‘Thanks for doing that last project so quick’ before you launch into your reason for emailing.

•Emailing bad news can be seen as ‘the coward’s way out’ because you don’t want to face the reaction. Also you can’t guarantee when they’ll read the bad news.

•Re-read the message before sending, putting yourself in the recipient’s shoes – what is the tone like? What unintended messages could the recipient see? Am I being succinct enough?

•Be careful about criticising people and organisations by email. A hasty remark by phone will be forgotten, on email there is a permanent record.

•Avoid writing in capital letters (to some this is the equivalent of shouting, and it makes it more difficult to read) and be carefully about emboldening words.

•If you classify all your e-mails as urgent, people may gradually stop treating them as such.

•Be careful about copying the message to the recipient’s manager – some people may view this as untrusting and underhand.

•Break the email ‘tennis’ – it’s far quicker to pick up the phone than reply with an email.

When reading:

•Deal with e mail at set times of the day ONLY– two or three times per day is a good guide. The tendency is to open email as soon as one arrives – if it was that urgent, the sender would have picked up the phone.

•Turn off the automatic ‘incoming email alert’ facility.

•Remove unwanted e-mails regularly – one user had 350 e-mails in his inbox after 3 days holiday! Always question WHY you keep an electronic copy?

•Set regular times e.g. last day of the month, to review and delete your e-mails.

•Set up folders for recipients. Important people such as the boss, the boss’s boss, and key customers could go into one folder that you check more frequently.

•If you feel emotional after reading a message, give the sender the benefit of the doubt and assume there has been a misunderstanding. Have you read the message carefully? Are you quite sure you’ve understood?

•If it’s about a complicated topic, or it’s a request for ideas or opinions, consider replying by phone, or meet up with the person.

•If you are out of the office for a few days, set up an automated ‘out of office reply’, giving an alternative person’s name who may be able to help.

•Send joke emails to your home inbox for reading later.

Just Twitter FIND IT!

On their website, I 80-Equipment invite the online truck shopper to “Just say FIND IT!” and they promise to help you find whatever you’re looking for. It’s only a matter of time before twittering truckers adopt this on Twitter too.

Remember two months ago, when people asked what Twitter was. Now if you’re a business and you’re worth your salt, you want to be Twitterin’.

For any business though, it is a calculated decision to twitter. You don’t want to start Twittering until you’re sure that you’ll have followers. It’s probably a costly mistake in the business world, to be seen Twittering with only 5 followers in tow. You want to start twittering when you’ve got a solid client-base who would do repeat business with you, if the need arises, and who will happily follow you, if invited.

Twitter is a great tool if you want to give your clients and potential clients a forum for a dialogue, and even more importantly if you want to let them see what you’re up to. The logic of Twittering is if you like being well-informed as to what’s happening in your industry, you keep your client-base and other people in your niche market in the loop, and gather a following. And then, at some point, your following will do a 180 degree turn. You’ll start attracting the ‘big fish’ in your industry. Like-minded professionals, who have interesting business partnerships and deals to offer, will approach you because of your following. This is where Twitter is miles ahead of other social networking platforms. Twitter acknowledges that it’s all about your following. “If you have the numbers, let’s talk” is the attitude.

Most people get that Twitter is a social network. But ask them about micro-blogging, and you might get a few raised eyebrows. But that’s what Twitter is about – it’s micro-blogging. And in this era of information overload, micro-blogging is the freshest, user-friendly alternative to blogging.

If you want to be with the top players, hang out where everyone is hanging out. Twitter ranks as one of the 50 most popular websites worldwide. You’ll be looking for elbow space alongside 6 million monthly visitors, and close to 10 times this number of monthly visits. It’s where people who are going places go.

I 80 Equipment, based in Colona, IL has earned the reputation of being #1 Supplier of Quality Bucket Trucks Digger Derricks and Cranes. I 80 Equipment also have a sales hotline service, and they are always happy to walk you through any aspect of a truck purchase, be it choosing the right truck for your company, ensuring your drivers know what they need to know, or getting financing.

I-80 Equipment has earned themselves a strong reputation for the quality trucks they offer, their 77 point inspection and their financing solutions. And their name is known nation-wide as well internationally. They sell boom trucks, bucket trucks, crane trucks, digger derricks, and other heavy equipment for many different industries. They Twitter.