The internet is an established part of our world, and modern education has included it in the education of our children. Unlike past generations, where the internet was as much a source of games and amusement as a tool for adults, these days our children are immersed in it. Given that it is a part of their daily lives at school, it naturally follows that we can't keep them from their computers at home so they can do research and homework on it. With that in mind, we have to keep a close watch on the things our kids do online so that they don't unwittingly become security risks in this day and age of computer-related crimes.
There are two types of programs that will help our home security over the internet immensely; the first is firewalls, which keep out viruses and spyware that our kids may accidentally touch on in the course of conducting their research. The second is child safety software, which are programs especially geared towards helping parents monitor and control their children's online time. Here are the top three free picks for firewalls and child safety programs you can download.
Firewalls
1) Comodo Firewall - one of the top picks among both free and purchaseable firewalls, comodo scans all incoming internet traffic before actually allowing it to touch any other part of your PC. It's main feature is a program behavior analyzer that detects if programs have any unusual activity that may signal a virus or worm in the program. For inert viruses it also has a trojan protocol detector that is constantly updated online.
2) Kiero Personal Firewall - this is a software that has been reported by users to offer them minimal headache in operation and use. While it's protections aren't as sturdy as some other firewall programs, it offers reasonable defense nontheless. It's main strength is it's ease of use, so that you can teach your children to operate it, giving them the benefits of learning internet security early in life.
3) Zone Alarm - this is rated as a cross between comodo and kiero. It offers more security options than Kiero and is easier to use than comodo. The most balanced choice between ease of use and security. Depending on your preferences, it can also be taught to your children, but it's advanced settings may actually cause them to mess up your firewall, so it might be a good idea to keep the operation of this software to yourself.
Child Security
1) EZ off - this program is essentially a time management software for your computer. It will automatically turn the PC on and off at scheduled intervals, allowing you to control how much time your children spend on the net. This is best used to keep your kids from playing video games past their bedtime. The timer also features a calendar and scheduler, so that you can even keep the PC running for set intervals when you're not at home.
2) Windows Supervisor - this is an office program that can also be used at home. It's main purpose is to monitor all logs made on the computer, so that you will be able to tell not only WHEN your children access the internet, you'll be able to tell what activity was running when they were there, including what sites they visited, files they up or downloaded, programs executed, and even keyboard typing done.
3) StopGame - for those who want to let their children enjoy the internet from time to time, a less-strict version of EZ off is similar to a firewall in that it lets certain, specified programs and web sites be accessed at certain times of day by the computer. If your kids are, for example, doing homework from 6pm to 8pm and you let them have game time from 8pm to 10pm, you can set this program to allow them access to certain games (that you specify) from the 8 to 10 slot. Also, taking a cue from Windows Supervisor, it will be able to monitor past activity as far as the allowed game programs listed are concerned, as well as attempts made by your kids to access other sites.
Downlod Free Software: Free anti-virus program is AVG / Spybot - Search & Destroy
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Websites for Your iPhone
iPhone is one of the few phones that are truly internet friendly. There are many places to visit with a mobile phone, but depending on your phone and connection speeds, you may be seriously disappointed. The iPhone has revolutionized how we access the internet with our cell phones. If you don't believe this, just take a look at how many websites offer iPhone content. There are a number of really good websites for your iPhone. The ones listed below are just a few of them. Facebook is a website that seems to have been designed for an iPhone.
There are many mobile applications available for free downloading on Facebook. A visit to this website via your Apple iPhone will allow you to share photos, thoughts, ideas, and more with your entire social network. Online social networking websites are becoming more popular everyday. If you do not believe this just look at how many new Facebook and MySpace accounts are opened everyday. This is not just for children. With Facebook and an iPhone, you can stay in touch with your teenagers. It's easy to keep tabs on them if you have them list you as a friend in their Facebook profile. This way with a few taps of the screen, you can see who their friends are. You will know where they are going and what they are doing because you can easily ask them. This is one way to make websites for your iPhone work for you. Another website for your iPhone is YouTube.
The movies and other items available for download on YouTube are iPhone compatible. You do not need a converter application to download and view content from YouTube on your iPhone. YouTube and Apple have worked together on this so that with your iPhone your access to the fun on YouTube is quick and easy. This comes in handy when you are on a trip or away from your computer and boredom is setting in. YouTube has a lot to offer. From the funny to the absurd to things of a more serious nature, you can always find something there to entertain you. Have bored kids in the back of the car? Hand them YouTube on your iPhone and let them watch short clips from the Muppet Show.
Sitting in a waiting room for what seems like an eternity? Why not check out the content on YouTube and other websites to keep you from being bored to tears. After all, it is much better than just sitting there listening to your hair grow. Another website that is a must visit for Apple iPhone users is iTunes. This is where you can download a plethora of content for your iPhone. With what seems like an endless supply of movies, TV shows, eBooks and music, you could literally spend days searching and downloading everything that appealed to you. This is how iTunes and other websites for your iPhone help keep you entertained. These are just three of the most popular websites for your iPhone.
The great thing about this is that you can access them via your Apple iPhone or with your PC or MAC. How about that for easy access. Has the iPhone revolutionized the communication industry? Perhaps not single-handedly but it sure has contributed to it.
There are many mobile applications available for free downloading on Facebook. A visit to this website via your Apple iPhone will allow you to share photos, thoughts, ideas, and more with your entire social network. Online social networking websites are becoming more popular everyday. If you do not believe this just look at how many new Facebook and MySpace accounts are opened everyday. This is not just for children. With Facebook and an iPhone, you can stay in touch with your teenagers. It's easy to keep tabs on them if you have them list you as a friend in their Facebook profile. This way with a few taps of the screen, you can see who their friends are. You will know where they are going and what they are doing because you can easily ask them. This is one way to make websites for your iPhone work for you. Another website for your iPhone is YouTube.
The movies and other items available for download on YouTube are iPhone compatible. You do not need a converter application to download and view content from YouTube on your iPhone. YouTube and Apple have worked together on this so that with your iPhone your access to the fun on YouTube is quick and easy. This comes in handy when you are on a trip or away from your computer and boredom is setting in. YouTube has a lot to offer. From the funny to the absurd to things of a more serious nature, you can always find something there to entertain you. Have bored kids in the back of the car? Hand them YouTube on your iPhone and let them watch short clips from the Muppet Show.
Sitting in a waiting room for what seems like an eternity? Why not check out the content on YouTube and other websites to keep you from being bored to tears. After all, it is much better than just sitting there listening to your hair grow. Another website that is a must visit for Apple iPhone users is iTunes. This is where you can download a plethora of content for your iPhone. With what seems like an endless supply of movies, TV shows, eBooks and music, you could literally spend days searching and downloading everything that appealed to you. This is how iTunes and other websites for your iPhone help keep you entertained. These are just three of the most popular websites for your iPhone.
The great thing about this is that you can access them via your Apple iPhone or with your PC or MAC. How about that for easy access. Has the iPhone revolutionized the communication industry? Perhaps not single-handedly but it sure has contributed to it.
Monday, November 8, 2010
Cheap and Fast Software - An Introduction to Shareware
Visit any computer store today and you'll find what seems like miles and miles of software on sale. Certainly enticing buys, there are a few problems with buying software off the shelves. On the shelf, software - otherwise known as "commercial software" - can be expensive, and incompatible, and outdated when compared to what's available online. Fortunately, there's an alternative to commercial software and although it isn't new, it's one of the most under-exploited opportunities in the computer industry.
We're talking about shareware - software that you can try before buying.
Shareware has a long history and was rather popular in the days where BBS (bulletin board systems) reigned the online industry. It hasn't gone anywhere, but its competition with commercial software is fierce - so fierce that it tends to fall on the back burner among new computer users. This is unfortunate because shareware has so many advantages over commercial software.
One of those advantages is its cost. On the whole, shareware is generally cheaper than commercial software. But don't misinterpret the cost. With shareware, cheap does not equal low-quality and there are plenty of examples that prove shareware often outperforms the quality of commercial software time and time again. How much savings are we talking about? You could purchase a quality word processor, spreadsheet, database program, or system utility anywhere from a mere $15 to under a hundred. This is almost unheard of in stores like Best Buy, Circuit City, or Egghead, yet the shareware programs offered within this price range rival even Microsoft's Office suite.
Another advantage that shareware has over commercial software is its compatibility. We're not saying that shareware is compatible with all operating systems. What we're saying is that since we can try shareware before paying for it, we can determine if the software is completely compatible with our systems first. In other words, we can discover whether the software performs the way we want them to and should anyone try to do the same with commercial software, they'll be in for a big disappointment.
Commercial software policy doesn't even allow for returns, let alone "borrowing" them to try them.
The last advantage that shareware has over commercial software (but certainly not the least) is its applicability. Plain and simple, shareware is the best bet when you want to keep on top of the latest release of a particular program. Sure, computer stores do their best to keep their inventory up to date, but when you can download version 5.6042 of a shareware program as opposed to buying a commercial 3.0 version from the local computer shop, there's just no comparison.
Which brings up our next point. Just where does one get shareware? Shareware is all over the Internet and it's really hard not to bump into it. The most popular places to find shareware is within thousands of download libraries, however the companies (and even independent programmers behind shareware) are increasingly offering shareware from their own websites. A simple Google or Yahoo search for a particular type of program will yield all sorts of results that point you toward items that you can try before you buy.
Be aware however, that because shareware is not commercial software, you may not experience a full program the way you would if you bought the software out of a box. Shareware may or may not be limited - meaning that some functions may not be available to you until the program is paid for. These limitations are often small and don't interfere with the way its full version operations. They're really just implemented as a way to prompt payment. Remember that shareware is not freeware. You shouldn't try to use shareware as commercial software without paying for it.
About the only thing that's similar between shareware and commercial software is the way in which they may be bought. With a credit card, you can be the new owner of your own software within minutes.
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We're talking about shareware - software that you can try before buying.
Shareware has a long history and was rather popular in the days where BBS (bulletin board systems) reigned the online industry. It hasn't gone anywhere, but its competition with commercial software is fierce - so fierce that it tends to fall on the back burner among new computer users. This is unfortunate because shareware has so many advantages over commercial software.
One of those advantages is its cost. On the whole, shareware is generally cheaper than commercial software. But don't misinterpret the cost. With shareware, cheap does not equal low-quality and there are plenty of examples that prove shareware often outperforms the quality of commercial software time and time again. How much savings are we talking about? You could purchase a quality word processor, spreadsheet, database program, or system utility anywhere from a mere $15 to under a hundred. This is almost unheard of in stores like Best Buy, Circuit City, or Egghead, yet the shareware programs offered within this price range rival even Microsoft's Office suite.
Another advantage that shareware has over commercial software is its compatibility. We're not saying that shareware is compatible with all operating systems. What we're saying is that since we can try shareware before paying for it, we can determine if the software is completely compatible with our systems first. In other words, we can discover whether the software performs the way we want them to and should anyone try to do the same with commercial software, they'll be in for a big disappointment.
Commercial software policy doesn't even allow for returns, let alone "borrowing" them to try them.
The last advantage that shareware has over commercial software (but certainly not the least) is its applicability. Plain and simple, shareware is the best bet when you want to keep on top of the latest release of a particular program. Sure, computer stores do their best to keep their inventory up to date, but when you can download version 5.6042 of a shareware program as opposed to buying a commercial 3.0 version from the local computer shop, there's just no comparison.
Which brings up our next point. Just where does one get shareware? Shareware is all over the Internet and it's really hard not to bump into it. The most popular places to find shareware is within thousands of download libraries, however the companies (and even independent programmers behind shareware) are increasingly offering shareware from their own websites. A simple Google or Yahoo search for a particular type of program will yield all sorts of results that point you toward items that you can try before you buy.
Be aware however, that because shareware is not commercial software, you may not experience a full program the way you would if you bought the software out of a box. Shareware may or may not be limited - meaning that some functions may not be available to you until the program is paid for. These limitations are often small and don't interfere with the way its full version operations. They're really just implemented as a way to prompt payment. Remember that shareware is not freeware. You shouldn't try to use shareware as commercial software without paying for it.
About the only thing that's similar between shareware and commercial software is the way in which they may be bought. With a credit card, you can be the new owner of your own software within minutes.
More Free Articles.: http://webmasterarticlesbyimtiaztips.co.cc/ Web Video / Web Traffic / Web Design Articles[ The Money making of a Niche ::Free Data Entry Work :: Imtiaztips Weblog :: Free Webmaster Articles :: More iPod Articles :: Download Freeware Software :: Updated Contents about Google AdSense for NEWBIES. ::ImtiazTips Online Business ]
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