Tracking Time on your Computer

Tracking Time on your Computer

Copyright (c) 2007 Galleon Systems
An accurate time reference is a fundamental requirement to many computer software applications. Although every Personal Computer incorporates an internal clock, it pays to check that the date and time settings are correct and this should be done routinely, every time the PC is turned on. For critical applications, the time base should be synchronised with a highly accurate external reference source.

Personal Computers are not designed to be perfect clocks. Their design has been optimised for mass production and low-cost rather than maintaining accurate time. Where time is crucial to the application, there are a number of precise external references available that enable computers to maintain accurate system time. This article looks at the various sources of time references to show how they can be utilised to maintain synchronised time on your computer.

Working to a synchronised time base is essential in computer networks. Without any external reference, individual computers will start to drift, anything from a few seconds to a few minutes each day. Clearly such a situation would not be acceptable when processing transactions or performing time critical tasks.

On the Internet this problem has been solved by introducing the Network Time Protocol (NTP). The NTP protocol supports the distribution of accurate time from a highly precise time server to network time clients. Most modern operating systems have the ability to synchronise time with an NTP server. Generally all that is required is the IP address or domain name of Stratum 1 or Stratum 2 NTP servers.

UNIX and LINUX operating Plattform is able to download the complete NTP application from the NTP website.ntp.org NTP is freely available, open source software, available under the GNU public license.

Microsoft Windows XP/2000/2003 and Vista operating systems use a simplified routine designated SNTP client for Simple Network Time Protocol. This is based on a sub-set of the Network Time Protocol, using a simplified NTP algorithm with many of the more complex high precision routines removed.

The Windows operating systems provide facilities for an IP address or domain name of an Internet or Intranet NTP server to be entered in the time properties tab. The SNTP client will then contact the NTP server periodically in order to update and synchronise system time.

Alternative methods will be required for standalone computers and systems which do not have access to the Internet. These can be provided with a local access to national radio time references which are transmitted free-to-air.

All that is required is a small RS232 serial or USB radio receiver, and the PC can obtain continuous accurate time. The Computer Time synchronises to the received time and frequency radio source.

Radio broadcasts are identified by their 'call sign' The UK time transmitter call sign, MSF, is located at Anthorn, Cumbria. Similar arrangements exist in Noth America - call sign WWVB from Colarado. Germany is covered by DCF broadcast from Mineflingen, near Frankfurt. National broadcasts are also available in France, Switzerland, Japan and Canada.

The only shortcoming with national radio time and frequency solutions is that they have a finite transmission range. In general they are limited to geographic boundaries also. Such issues do not apply to the Global Position System (GPS) a satellite based universal navigation system.

Each GPS satellite carries a highly accurate synchronised atomic clock. This enables GPS to provide precise timing information anywhere on the face of the planet. All that is required to receive the transmission is a low cost-cost GPS receiver and antenna with a clear view of the sky. PC connections are similar to the radio transmissions configuration, using a serial or USB port, enabling accurate timing information to be available continuously.

By : Magdalena Sperber
Keyword : Tracking Time on your Computer

Gaming Virtually in Today's World

Gaming Virtually in Today's World

Everybody loves a good game to get rid of the stresses of the day. After a long day of work, a good game of Scrabble can be a lot of fun, as can a game of Monopoly. If one is not keen to rack one's brains too much, one can also go work up some sweat by playing a game of squash or tennis on the lawn.

Unfortunately, most of these games require more than one person. If you have ever played Checkers on your own, you will agree that it can get boring after just a few moves. However, these days, it is tough to always get people to play with you. After all, everybody has their own lives to lead. Everybody has his own share of tensions.

What do you do if you have no one to give you company in playing a game of your choice? You rejoice because you have your computer to play with. Thanks to the rise of video and computer games, we no longer have to sit at home and mope because our football buddies decided they had better things to do. In the worst case, all that one has to do is switch on the computer and turn to a whole host of games.

From word games and shooting games to field sports and casino games, there are hundreds of games that the bored person can turn to for rejuvenation. If you do not have your favorite games already saved on your computer, just search for them on the Internet. There are scores of websites that allow game downloads. Moreover, everyone nowadays seems to be downloading games all the time. Find a game you love, and download it on to your computer. Then you can spend hours just moving the mouse and the cursor keys and reaching newer and newer top scores everyday.

The chess buff who cannot get a good enough opponent can always try his luck against the computer or against a sufficiently skilled online partner. In fact, lots of people are choosing to play chess online these days. Life has certainly become exciting for the game lover.

The Internet provides the game lover with access to all kinds of free online games. There are games based on movies and popular cartoon series. There are games that involve speed and violence. And there are games that involve thinking hard and strategizing. There really seems to be something for everybody.

By : Ajeet Khurana
Keyword : Gaming

Choosing a Business Equipment Liquidator

Choosing a Business Equipment Liquidator

With the increasing popularity of the network in major business operations for many different companies and the effective return of the dot com boom with the emergence of Google and a number of like minded companies, what you are finding more and more nowadays is that choosing a business equipment liquidator is becoming a harder process as time goes by. This is true for two reasons; firstly, it is true because the number of liquidators is getting larger and of course secondly by logic it is also true because the average quality of liquidators is getting smaller. Nowadays, choosing a business equipment liquidator is a lot like choosing a particular web hosting company; a lot of the logical principles are the same and a few of the important points to keep in mind are discussed below.

First and foremost, take a look at the chain of companies that are associated with the business equipment liquidator that you might be interested in. If you are at all familiar with the web hosting business, what you are going to be able to take from that to this as an accurate comparison is that a lot of companies are middle men services. In other words, you might actually be getting a better deal if you figure out who that business equipment liquidator works with and then go and directly do business with that person. A lot of business equipment liquidators however are loathe to give out that kind of information because it hurts their business, so the key ultimately becomes to figure out whether or not your prospective liquidator is an end-user or a middle-man and then make your decisions accordingly.

Secondly, once you have figured out the type of company you will want to be working with and have a list of prospective liquidators, you will want to take a look at the reputation of those liquidators. Again, you can draw a comparison to what you know about checking up on the reputation of web hosting companies. It is extremely difficult to do online and if you see a review that is completely positive, then chances are what you are getting is not the complete story. However, there are some consumer watch groups that make a living out of taking a look at web hosts; something that is rare to find with business equipment liquidators simply because of the nature of the beast. However, now that there are more small businesses are being created because of technology, one can expect this situation to improve in the future. For now, try to find a neutral review that allows you to honestly evaluate each liquidator you might be interested in.

Finally, once you have those two figured out, then and only then should you look at the price. Never look at the price first, because simply put you will get what you pay for in a lot of cases. If you ignore business partnerships and reputation in favor of saving a few bucks up front, chances are you are going to get burned down the road and end up losing more money than you saved in the first place.

By : urlreader
Keyword : Business Equipment

10 Ways To Protect Your Laptop Against Theft & Loss

10 Ways To Protect Your Laptop Against Theft & Loss

Laptop theft is rampant. You have a 1 in 10 chance your shiny new laptop will be stolen. And the real shocker: according to the FBI 97% are never recovered.

And they should know, the U.S. Department of Justice stated in a recent report that the FBI lost 160 laptops in a 44 month period ending in September of 2005. If FBI agents have trouble keeping track of their laptops, imagine what the ordinary person is facing.

The statistics are pretty grim. A laptop is stolen every 53 seconds. Ouch!
With stats like those you have to do everything in your power to avoid becoming a victim of laptop theft. If you keep valuable personal or business information on your laptop the consequences can be even more gruesome and devastating. For laptop hardware can be easily replaced, but your valuable information may be lost forever.

So here are...
10 Practical Ways to Protect Your Laptop Against Theft, Loss or Misplacement.

1. Keep Your Eyes On Your Laptop
Be aware of your laptop at all times especially when traveling. You wouldn't leave a Thousand Dollar Bill lying around unattended would you? So watch your laptop closely.

2. Don't Use An Obvious Laptop Bag
Carry your laptop in regular luggage that doesn't look like it has a laptop. Don't advertise your laptop to any would-be thieves.

3. Use Visual Locks And Restraints
Use visual locks and restraints to secure your laptop and to act as a deterrent. It won't fool hardened thieves but most will opt for a less secure laptop. For example, you can use a product like STOP, this system works by attaching a specially-made security plate to your laptop. This plate is barcoded and registered. It also carries a warning label letting would-be cyber thieves know that the ownership of your laptop is permanently monitored.

4. Use Passwords And Encryption
Use passwords and encryption to protect any sensitive information on your laptop. Again, unless you use very sophisticated encryption it won't fool the experienced hacker or hard-core digital thief but it will slow down and hinder the common criminal.
Set a BIOS Password for your laptop. You have to take advantage of any security option that's on your laptop's OS or operating system. For those using Mac OS X you can encrypt your entire hard drive and set-up a master password in order to view it.
Windows XP & Vista lets you encrypt files and folders. Just right click your data, select properties, open general tab and then advanced to check "Encrypt contents to secure data box".

5. Use Encryption Programs Like Steganos Safe 2007
You can also try something like Steganos Safe 2007. Vital files can be encrypted and it can even turn your USB thumb drive or iPod into a key for unlocking your hard drive.

6. Use Anti-Theft Software Like LoJack
Use anti-theft software that can track and locate your laptop or computer through the IP address once the stolen laptop is used to access the Internet. Use systems like "LoJack For Laptops". It costs Costs around 50 bucks a year but it may be worth that price for your peace of mind alone.

According to the info on their site they recover 3 out of 4 stolen laptops equipped with the LoJack system. It basically places hidden and silent software that reports back the IP address and location of the laptop once it is stolen and the thief connects to the Internet.

7. Use Invisible Ultraviolet Markings
Use invisible ultraviolet markings so that any recovered stolen laptops will be clearly marked as yours to the police. Keeping track of your laptop's serial number is also a good idea and have this number stored in a different place other than on your laptop.

8. Try Remote Data Deletion
If you place important information on your laptop have a remotely controlled self-destruct solution in place. Then your highly sensitive information can be deleted remotely after your laptop is stolen.

9. Be Prepared
Create company policies for management of your company's laptops. Have set procedures in place for tracking and reporting of any laptops stolen or misplaced. Be prepared for the inevitable.

10. Backup Backup Backup
Regularly backup any vital information you have on your laptop. Most information will be useless to potential thieves but may be extremely important to you personally or for the running of your business.

No matter if it is through theft or simple misplacement, losing a laptop is a painful experience, one you should avoid at all costs. However, if it does happen to you, be assured you can minimize the pain by having a complete backup of your laptop's contents. In most cases, this information will be much more valuable than the laptop itself.

For hardware can be easily replaced, your personal data and months/years of work may take forever to recover or redo. Sometimes it is lost forever, so BACKUP your information regularly. Keep your laptop and its contents safe and out of harm's way. Simply protect yourself and your laptop by using the tips you have just read.
Copyright (c) 2007 Titus Hoskins

By: Titus Hoskins
Keyword : Protect Your Laptop