Archive for April, 2009

Different Types of Banks and Bank Accounts

There are so many types of banks and bank accounts to select from . When it comes time to open up an account, it is often quite confusing. When deciding which type of account you should open, there are some simple explanations to help you determine which is right for you.

Of the many different kinds of banks, here is a sampling:

1. Savings Banks – take deposits of money, invest that money, and pay the depositor interest out of the money made from those investments. Some Savings Banks give credit to depositors.

2. Credit Unions – are owned and controlled by those doing business there. Membership is needed to get into a Credit Union, normally determined by where the person works, their location, or even the church they belong to.

3. Commercial Banks – these banks primarily dealt with businesses, but have extended their services to individuals. Commercial banks offer individuals most of the same services as other types of banks.

4. Savings & Loans – these banks usually provide savings accounts. Money deposited into these banks is then loaned out to local residents in the community, normally for home loans.

5. Investment Banks – these banks… invest. They buy and sell stocks and bonds and give investment advice to their clients. These banks do not accept deposits, make loans, and are not insured by the FDIC (Federal Deposit Insurance Company).

There are many kinds of accounts:

1. Savings account – is probably the most basic account offered. You deposit money into a savings account and earn interest on that deposit based on the APR, or Annual Percentage Rate.

2. Checking account – allows for depositing, withdrawal, and the writing of ‘checks’ to pay bills and for purchases. Many banks offer ATM or debit cards along with the standard checkbook when you open a checking account.

3. Certificate of Deposit – this type of account, also known as a CD, is for deposit only, and is not touched for an agreed upon amount of time. This can vary from 6 months to several years, and you will earn a guaranteed amount of interest. If you withdraw the money before the agreed upon date, you will be charged a fee.

4. Money Market – although similar to a savings account, the interest rate is generally higher, howerver, you may need to maintain a balance of $10,000 or more!

Now that you have an idea of the different kinds of banks and accounts available, it will be easier for you to do your research to find a bank that is right for you.

24

04 2009

CompTIA A+ Certification – The Industry Standard

When it comes to professions in the computer world, certifications can speak volumes regarding your abilities and performance. And for quite some time, CompTIA A+ Certification has been the industry standard for a vendor-neutral certification regarding entry level technicians, and is a much sought out certification path..

CompTIA A+ Certification tests on the basic understanding of IT technology and what the proper troubleshooting solutions would be regarding this technology. It also tests on the basic ability for other computer knowledge like network security, environmental issues, and general safety. Overall, it’s a very strong certification to carry and will get you far in the world of technology based computer careers.

The test to earn your CompTIA A+ certification is actually broken down into two smaller exams. The first is a mandatory requirement that covers the “Essentials” of hardware and software knowledge. But one of the best parts about this system is the ability to choose the second part of your exam. You have a choice of elective exams which will allow you the ease of mind to pick one which you feel best reflects your strengths in the computer world. They are aligned to better suit your career goals and will help show potential employers that you are well prepared in the field and have a credential specific to the area in which you are applying. There are three elective categories and those are IT Technician, Remote Support Technician, and Depot Technician. Again, you only need to select one of them, but if you aren’t absolutely positive of what specific role you hope to take, don’t fret. An A+ certification in and of itself will speak well of your capabilities.

There are many different options available to those who wish to become computer certified. Achieving an A+ certification has its advantages, as it is regarded as the industry standard in the computer technology world. Having earned your A+ certification shows your employer (or potential employer) exactly what you know and what you value.

24

04 2009

Office Plants for a Healthier Environment

It is difficult to completely control the indoor climate in an office. It can easily become too hot, too cold, too dry or too damp. And of course it is never be perfect for everyone: what one person finds too hot is too cold for someone else.

In addition printers, copiers, computer monitors, are just a few of the office equipment that affects the quality of the indoor climate. The potential consequences of poor air quality are well known: irritated eyes, headache, skin complaints and dry membranes in the nose and mouth. This is not only unpleasant, it is also unhealthy.

If you find you have a dry throat or burning eyes or even recurrent headaches, plants can help to improve your working environment all year round. In winter, the lack of moisture in the air can causes problems, especially when the heat is running full blast. Most people find a relative humidity of between 30% and 60% pleasant. But many offices do not even achieve the lower level of 30% in winter months. It is no fun indoors in the summer either. Sealed climate control systems with non-opening windows means that you cannot control the environment yourself. Even in offices with the latest climate control systems, more than a quarter of the staff are dissatisfied with the temperature or the humidity.

Yet you can easily improve the indoor climate with plants! Plants help create a healthier indoor climate and a happier workplace. Not only do they put water vapor back into the air, they also absorb heat and filter dust and harmful substances out of the air. Different plants have different effects - some purify and some humidify the air. Plants with a high level of water consumption can increase humidity by up to 15%.

The effect of plants in the workplace has been the subject of repeated scientific investigation. Time after time the conclusion is the same: plants work! One study looked at the effect of plants on the health of staff in the radiology department of a hospital. Once plants were placed in the department and artificial daylight was introduced, the level of health complaints amongst those studied fell noticeably. This resulted in a permanent reduction in absence due to illness from 15% to 5% within 6 months. The instances of additional complaints, such as fatigue, cough and headache were also reduced by a significant percentage.

The presence of plants not only affects the indoor climate, in addition, researchers have discovered that a view of greenery can result in a noticeable reduction in stress within five minutes. Again, research has indicated that people who spend more than four hours a day working at a computer monitor feel better and are more productive with plants in the workplace!

24

04 2009

Setting Up a Wireless Network

Suppose you want to configure a wireless network on a Windows laptop. It is not as difficult as you might think. Here are the steps that you will follow to successfully configure the wireless network.

The first thing to do is double-click “Wireless Network Setup Wizard” in the Control Panel. which will guide you through the configuration process.
On the Welcome page of the wizard, you will click “Next” to continue.
On the “Create a name for your wireless network” page of the wizard, you can specify a service set identifier (SSID) – or text identifier – for the wireless network you’re creating.

By default, Windows assigns a Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) encryption key to secure access to a wireless network. However, you can choose to assign a WEP key manually instead, or to enable Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) encryption.

WPA provides better security, but not all devices are compatible with it. You choose to accept the default option to enable Windows to assign a WEP key to the network automatically, and you assign the network the name “EasyNomad.”
You type EasyNomad in the Network name (SSID) text box, and click Next.
On the “How do you want to set up your network?” page, you can choose to configure the required network settings once and save them to a Universal Serial Bus (USB) flash drive for use on other devices. Alternatively, you can choose to configure settings on each computer in the network manually. Using a USB flash drive is easier and more secure.
Accept the default selection of the “Use a USB flash drive” (recommended) radio button, and select “Next”.
You will then need to plug the flash drive into a USB port on the computer and wait for the drive letter to display in the wizard.

Once the flash drive letter displays, you will select “Next” to continue.
The network settings are saved to the flash drive. To transfer these settings, you need to plug the flash drive in the following order:

1. Plug into the wireless access point
2. Plug into each node you want to add to your network
3. Plug back into the computer on which you’re running the Wireless Network Setup Wizard

After you have performed all of these steps in the order indicated, you will select “Next”.The wizard successfully completes and the wireless network is ready to use. By default, the wizard is configured to delete all network settings from the USB flash drive for security reasons.

To exit the wizard and return to the Network Connections window, simply select “Finish”.

Setting up the network is not as difficult as you think. If you would like more information on taking your skills to the next level, you might want to persue a computer certification path.

24

04 2009

How To Prioritize Your Time

When it comes to time managment, having the ability to choose and complete tasks in the order of importance is a highly valued trait. In order to successfully prioritize your time, it is imperative that you plan a list. Prioritizing while planning is easier, as you have time to think. Prioritizing while working is a bit more challenging.

A great way to begin your list is to jot down all of your daily tasks and rate them. By doing this, you will be able to list them again - this time in order of priority. Since there are only 24 hours in a day, most lists will probably need to be reduced. You should examine your list, to see if you can eliminate some un-needed tasks completely. Will there be consequences if the task is removed? Who is affected? Does it affect your goals and objectives?

If you do not have the time to complete the task, perhaps there is another person that can perform it instead. Sometimes it may be possible to delegate the work to someone else, allowing you to free up your schedule for more pressing issues.

Remember to take advantage of technology. Conference calls can save an enormous amount of time. In order to take control of your time, you must minimize interruptions. Emails can be done at your convenience and it eliminates the never ending game of phone tag.

Sometimes, applying a dollar figure when considering whether or not to cancel a task is another way to determine if the job is actually worth the time to do. In order to determine how much the task is worth, you must consider how much time it will take and what the most effective way to perform the task might be.

Another often overlooked way to prioritize is to give every task a deadline. Having a clear deadline can help to make some tasks easier to prioritize. Time management skills are an important component in setting your priorities at work.

24

04 2009

Is somebody watching me?

Probably! Spyware is one of the fastest-growing internet threats, infecting more than 90% of computers These unobtrusive, malicious programs are designed to silently bypass firewalls and anti-virus software without the user’s knowledge. Once embedded in a computer, it can wreak havoc on the system’s performance while gathering your personal information. Unlike viruses and worms, spyware programs do not usually self-replicate.

The first and most common way for spyware to infiltrate a system is when the user inadvertently installs it. Spyware is often embedded, attached, or bundled with a freeware or shareware program and is unknowingly installed by the user himself. The user downloads a program to their computer, and once downloaded, the spyware program goes to work collecting data for the spyware author’s personal use or to sell to a third-party.

The user of a downloadable program should pay extra attention to the accompanying licensing agreement. Often the software publisher will warn the user that a spyware program will be installed along with the requested program. Unfortunately, we do not always take the time to read the fine print. Some agreements may provide special “opt-out” boxes that the user can click to stop the spyware from being included in the download. Be sure to review the document before signing off on the download.

Another way that spyware can access your computer is by tricking you into manipulating the security features designed to prevent any unwanted installations. The Internet Explorer Web browser was designed not to allow websites to start any unwanted downloads. That is why the user has to initiate a download by clicking on a link. These links can prove deceptive. For example, a pop-up modeled after a standard Windows dialog box, may appear on your screen. The message may ask you if you would like to optimize your internet access. It provides yes or no answer buttons, but, no matter which button you push, a download containing the spyware program will commence. Newer versions of Internet Explorer are now making this spyware pathway a little more difficult.

Finally, some spyware applications infect a system by attacking security holes in the Web browser or other software. When the user navigates a webpage controlled by a spyware author, the page contains code designed to attack the browser, and force the installation of the spyware program.

There are a couple things you can do to prevent spyware from infecting your computer system, and probably the first thing you might want to do is to invest in a reliable commercial anti-spyware program. Sometimes, it may be necessary to back up your data, and performing a complete reinstall of the operating system, in order to remove the spyware program. It might even be helpful to take a look at A+ training programs, which are available online or on cds, to become more familiar with the removal of spyware.

24

04 2009