Archive for February, 2008

history of the computer machine code programs part 2 of 3

Friday, February 29th, 2008

History of the Computer – Machine Code Programs Part 2 of 3

Writen by Tony Stockill

What components will we be using? We have mentioned Registers as being where data being worked on is stored. One of these is the Program or P register. This is essentially a set of flip-flops, one for each ‘bit’ of the instruction. Various bits of this register are then decoded to see what the instruction has to do, for example an add or a test for 0.

Other registers would be used to store data to be added, and for the result, they could also be for data to be sent to a disk or tape drive.

We will look at a simple program to calculate the area of a rectangle. We can use any dimensions using this program, we will use 3×4 for illustration purposes. For this example we only have 5 instructions we can use, an ADD, a SUBTRACT, a STORE, a BRANCH and a STOP. The stop isn’t strictly a normal instruction, but serves the purpose here.

The program is in memory from location zero onwards and looks like this:-

(0)000 – 000 011 000 STORE
(1)001 – 000 100 001 STORE
(2)010 – 001 000 010 ADD
(3)011 – 010 001 001 SUBTRACT
(4)100 – 011 001 010 BRANCH
(5)101 – 100 000 000 STOP

The format for these instructions, or the way the bits are laid out, determines what the instruction does, and what data it uses. We are using a format devised for this illustration. For example here is an ADD instruction

001 001 010

The first three bits are the ‘command’, or what the instruction does. 001 is decoded as an ADD. The rest of the instruction tells us what to add. The next three bits are the address of the register to be added. The last three bits are the register to be added to. This instruction will take the contents of register 000 and add them to the contents of register 010. The result will be placed in register 010.

How do we get data into those registers 000 and 001? We have a STORE instruction. This time the format is:-

000 011 000

Once again the first 3 bits are the command – STORE. The next 3 bits are the data, decimal 3 in this case, the last three are where to store it – in register 0. We will put decimal 3 in register 0.

The SUBTRACT instruction is telling us to subtract a value, in this case 1, from the contents of register 1. The result goes in register 1. (An extra bit not shown here would tell the logic to decode the literal, or actual, value of 1 rather than the address of a register).

The BRANCH instruction is what makes programs capable of powerful things, it is a decision maker. The format is

011 001 010

The first 3 bits are interpreted as a BRANCH instruction and enable logic to decode the rest of the instruction. the next 3 bits are the address of a register to test, and the last 3 bits an address in memory to be used to get the next instruction if the test is not met. Various tests are possible, in this case we are testing for ‘not 0′.

The STOP is used here for this illustration only, normally the program would continue.

Tony is an experienced computer engineer. He is currently webmaster and contributor to http://www.what-why-wisdom.com A set of diagrams accompanying these articles may be seen at http://www.what-why-wisdom.com/history-of-the-computer-0.html RSS feed also available – use http://www.what-why-wisdom.com/Educational.xml

Posted in Computers & Technology | No Comments »

the necessity of wire protection technologies

Friday, February 29th, 2008

The Necessity of Wire Protection Technologies

Writen by Aldene Fredenburg

From aerospace to banking, from medical imaging to the railroad industry, wire protection techniques are an essential part of every piece of mechanical and electronic equipment.

Both electrical and mechanical cables – sometimes miles of them – are part of every vehicle, every computer, every piece of telecommunications equipment. Fasteners like specialized grommets and other protective materials protect against wire damage due to chafing and other wear, and find use in applications ranging from military aircraft to food processing equipment.

Chafing and stress fatigue can result from unexpected sources. Even when bundles of cables are wrapped together, presumably to be fixed in one, immovable position, the vibration created by the operation of machinery can still cause chafing and wear, resulting in the failure or malfunction of the affected cables. Materials in protective components have to withstand not only friction and vibration, but also heat and cold, remaining intact in what can be an enormous range of conditions.

The failure of wire protection technology in electrical cables can cause dangerous arcing, which can result not only in equipment failure but in an electrocution hazard for anyone in close proximity to the equipment. Other protective components protect not from wear or electrical shorts, but from heat. Delicate electronic computer components, in food processing equipment, for instance, can be adversely affected by excessive heat from food vats; spacing components to prevent heat damage have to themselves be able to resist the heat and vibrational wear resulting from operation of the equipment.

Every new equipment design has to take into account the conditions under which the equipment will operate, and the internal dynamics of the equipment which can itself result in potential damage – from friction among moveable parts, from heat or cold, and from internal vibration. Failing to take the complex dynamics of the operation of a piece of equipment can have expensive and sometimes disastrous results.

Aldene Fredenburg is a freelance writer living in southwestern New Hampshire. She has written numerous articles for the Internet and for local and regional publications. She can be reached at amfredenburg@yahoo.com.

Posted in Computers & Technology | No Comments »

outsourcing for cutting costs

Friday, February 29th, 2008

Outsourcing – For Cutting Costs

Writen by Paul Cris

Outsourcing is the delegation of projects or jobs to a sub-contractor who could be based in the same country or outside the country. The word outsourcing has been used a lot nowadays. Lot of outsourcing in the IT sector has made this a buzzword.

Outsourcing is not only done in the IT sector. Many other sectors like manufacturing, fashion designing etc are outsourced. Companies outsource mainly to cut costs. The salary of overseas staff is quite less compared to the current staff salary.

Nowadays, most of the software and other IT related work are outsourced to countries like India, Singapore and China. The hourly wages are low in these countries compared to UK and US wages. When a company can get the same quality at a lower price then the company can outsource some of its operations as it is a good option. Out of the fortune 500 companies in US, nearly 400 companies outsource their work to countries like India and China. UK and other European countries also outsource their work to many Indian companies. Call centers have sprung up in India, Caribbean and Philippines. Telemarketing work has been outsourced by many US banks to many call centers in other countries. The main job of these call centers is to sell more credit cards, insurance and provide customer support services.

In the manufacturing sector, components, textiles etc are outsourced to countries where the labor costs are very low. Most of the companies outsource around 50% of the work. For example: A car manufacturing company could outsource its gear parts to a company in India to cut down its costs. To manufacture the gears, the company has to invest a lot, so they outsource it to other companies, which has the competency to manufacture these products.

Paul has been providing answers to lots of queries through his website on a wide variety of subjects ranging from satellite phones to acne. To learn more visit http://www.askaquery.com/Answers/qn1607.html

You are welcome to republish the above article only if you add our hyperlinked URL.

Posted in SoftWare | No Comments »

getting the most out of your photo printer for less

Friday, February 29th, 2008

Getting the Most Out of Your Photo Printer – For Less!

Writen by John Sollars

As many photo-printer owners would know, paper and ink costs can quickly exceed the cost of the printer. These six tips will help you get the most out of your photo-printer without leaving a hole in your pocket. Raise the Resolution: Any digital camera that is less than three years old can capture at least 1 megapixel of data with each shot. This is sufficient to print a good-quality 4 X 6-inch photo; a 2-megapixel image holds enough information to output a higher-quality print of the same dimensions. To generate an 8 X 10-inch print worth framing, you’ll need a resolution of at least 3 megapixels. You’re in a good position if you have a new camera as most new models offer from 4 to 8.1 megapixels.

Adjust your camera to its highest resolution when taking shots that you might want to print. Some newer cameras, depending on the manufacturer’s menu setup, make it very simple to change resolution. Save your Originals: Don not save the images you plan to print as JPEGs or in any other compressed file format. Each time you compress an image, you lose some data. Before working with an image, make sure it is unaltered and in the TIFF format.

Enhance the Image: Experiment with your image-editing program’s functions such as cropping, contrast, brightness, and other controls until you’re entirely satisfied with the image’s composition. Remember to always save the altered file with a new name. Plan Your Print Drafts: If you plan to make test prints that you will discard later, reduce the image size and load the printer with plain inexpensive paper. Your printer software may allow you to print multiple images on one sheet.

Use matte-finish photo cards instead of glossy photo paper when printing 4 X 6-inch images. These cards have a nice look and feel, and they cost almost half as much as full-size photo paper. Place the images that you print on 8 X 10-inch glossy photo paper behind glass for added protection from ultraviolet light, and hang them away from direct sunlight. Save on your ink: Special photo inks can provide your printer with a more refined colour palette. Unfortunately, these come with specific models, and if such ink didn’t come with your model, you may have to buy it separately and install it in place of the standard ink cartridges.

In some cases, photos printed using general-purpose cartridges look almost as good as ones printed using photo ink. Another effective trick is to print your black-and-white photos in colour mode (with standard colour cartridges). This makes the printer use all of its inks to create the tones in your picture, and the resultant prints can be as subtle and precise as pictures printed with photo inks.

Get your Cartridges in Line: Use your printer’s controls to realign your cartridges–especially if you see vertical or horizontal bands, unwanted lines, gaps, or bleeding colours in your prints. Right-click the printer’s entry in Control Panel’s “Printers and Faxes” or “Printers” applet, click Properties, and search for a cartridge maintenance option. If aligning your cartridges does not solve the problem, clean the cartridges with a cotton swab dipped in isopropyl alcohol. Use water merely as a solvent, and clean just the cartridge itself, never the print head or the nozzle plate. Always align new cartridges.

Practice Good Housekeeping: By keeping your printer’s mechanisms clean, you will ensure that the device runs at its best. An occasional blast from a can of compressed air (easily available at electronics stores) will keep dust and bits of paper from clogging the paper path and other moving parts. Make sure that the small ink nozzles on your print heads are clear of dried ink. Leaving any inkjet idle for even a week or two leads the ink in the tiny tubes that feed the nozzles to dry. Many inkjet printers have a cleaning program in their settings that can handle partially clogged nozzles. Unfortunately these programs use a lot of ink, so use them judiciously. If the tubes are badly blocked, then you will need the services of a professional or an inkjet cleaning kit.

John Sollars is the managing director of Solar Electronics, which are both ink and pc peripheral suppliers based in Shropshire, UK. To access a comprehensive online shop of original and re-manufactured printer ink cartridges please visit http://www.stinkyinkshop.co.uk where you will find a wide range of consumables including printer paper http://www.stinkyinkshop.co.uk/acatalog/Paper.html

Posted in Hardware | No Comments »

dell computer dominates the marketplace

Thursday, February 28th, 2008

Dell Computer Dominates the Marketplace

Writen by Christopher Luck

About three out of five households in America have computers today, compared with almost no one having them just 25 years ago. And if you don’t have a computer at home, you probably have access to one at work, at school, or at the public library. Computers are everywhere! And it’s Dell Computers that has more places than anywhere else.

There is probably a Dell computer store near you; almost every electronics store that sells computers sells Dells. Finding a Dell computer for sale on the Internet is as easy as typing a few words. You can even find Dell computer coupons with a little bit of luck and know-how. (Not that you need them: Dell computers are among the most inexpensive on the market.)

The Dell computer corporation, headquartered in Round Rock, Texas, offers everything from servers to laptops, printers to workstations, all with round-the-clock customer service, too. Fortune magazine called Dell America’s “most admired” company.

If you’re in the market for a new computer, you can visit a retailer that sells Dell computers (or even Dell refurbished computers), or you can visit Dell directly on the Internet. The company’s Web site will walk you through the process of choosing the Dell desktop computer or a notebook computer that will work best for you.

Businesses large and small can rely on Dell computers, too, with servers, storage and all the other necessary components. Most of their business services are scalable — they can be made larger or smaller depending on the need of the particular business.

But it’s not all work and no play at Dell. Dell computers are excellent for gaming, too, with a system called XPS, the latest in gaming technology. Dell sells all the accessories and components you’d need — there’s even a mouse and keyboard designed especially for game players!

You may wonder whether it’s a desktop computer or laptop computer you need. Either way, Dell computers can help you, but which is right for you? Consider your needs. Do you travel a lot, either for business or personal reasons? Do you often have to take work home with you from the office? If so, a Dell notebook computer may be what you need. On the other hand, if most of your work is conducted at a desk (or at home), a regular desktop computer may do the job.

And what about printers? Dell makes those, too, in a variety of configurations to suit your needs, from as low as $74. Many businesses need highly advanced printers capable of color prints and collating; Dell has printers that also serve as fax machines and photocopiers. For home use (or home business use), there are less advanced, less expensive models that still offer premium quality in conjunction with your Dell computer.

The Dell computer corporation was founded by Michael Dell, who began selling IBM-compatible computers while still a student at the University of Texas at Austin in 1984. The next year, the company produced the first computer of its own design, and Michael Dell had to drop out of school to handle the business — which made $6 million that year. By 1999, Dell had become the largest seller of personal computers in America. Dell computers lost the title briefly in 2002, then regained it. It remains on top today.

Dell is building a new assembly plant in North Carolina. It has customer call centers in Edmonton, Canada, and Manila, Philippines, handling calls from the company’s millions of computer customers. Wherever you are, and whatever you need, Dell can help you.

Christopher M. Luck has an extensive background in working exclusively with dell computers and is now offering his free dell secrets to the public. If you are at all interested in Christopher’s advice, tips, or secrets, you can visit his computer blog

Posted in Computers & Technology | No Comments »

learn hardware and design your commercial product

Thursday, February 28th, 2008

Learn Hardware and Design Your Commercial Product

Writen by O G Popa

I am certain the first question in everybody’s mind is: “Why should I learn this tiresome hardware design in my spare time? I like to listen music, to play games, and to eat pizza. I just want to relax!”

There is absolutely noting wrong with listening good music and eating pizza in your spare time, but… Living our life is, unfortunately, harder and more demanding with each passing day. If you have a good job today, you also have 75% chances to lose it, tomorrow. This is the new trend in our social life: jobs are not secure anymore. Even worse; if you do manage to “keep” a job for sometime, you could discover, after ten years of dedication and hard-work, you didn’t manage to set aside your 100000 $ “safe cash buffer”. Realistically, our life today means a permanent search for the next job, a never-ending and terrifying resume work, and also an acute lack of sufficient money for anything.

Our society is polarized into employers and employees; between the two, being an employee it is far tougher! Some time ago a manager was required to know how to work with many, psychically different employees; today, it is the employee who must know how to “deal” with the managers. More often people retire and they have to sell their homes, because they cannot afford continuously increasing costs of living–no, Sir; not anymore. Well, think ahead tiger.

Now, which is the right way to become an employer? If you want–mind this, please: only if you want to–you could start working on becoming an employer today, and hardware design is one (important) way that leads to building your own commercial product and your future business. Besides, it will also increase your chances of employment, so… there are only benefits ahead for you. Please note, our entire social activity it is strongly–if not totally–dependent on hardware, firmware, and software technologies.

The first thing you should know about hardware design is, it doesn’t work by itself–well, not much. Hardware it is driven by firmware and/or software most of the times. This complicates things a little, but not too much–don’t worry about this. Now, let’s detail the action plan, a bit. The first thing you need to do is, start with a reasonable life-plan. For example, you could decide in ten years from now you are going to start your “J J Hardtronics Technologies Ltd.” business. Ten years is a good time-buffer, in which you will learn everything you need to know about hardware, firmware, and software design. However, please be aware the most important thing, during these ten years, is to discover your future commercial product!

There are millions of good commercial products waiting to be discovered, and do not look at the high-end technological monsters like cell-phones; this market is so fiercely driven by competition that the best thing is to stay away from it. This doesn’t mean you cannot design a good product for the cell-phones industry if you want to. A quick example is a cell-phone utility software program, or a game.

Truth is, the most beneficial applications are the industrial ones. There are thousands of industrial sensors that may be embedded into nice applications; a quick example is the acceleration sensor, or the one that measures the O2 concentration in water. You could design commercial motor-drivers, particularly for brushless DC or steppers motors. Other promising applications are: designing an instructive toy; you could break into the display-signs industry; or you could start building light-organs if you are a true music lover. The analog light-organs were a mandatory accessory in the 60s and 70s; without one, you simply couldn’t understand music, because you missed the related visual analog equivalent–please, take this last one just as a personal opinion. (The right way to relate colored light to music is: blue for low frequencies produced by the bass-guitar or drum, then green for solo-guitars and normal organ notes, red for voice, and finally yellow for the highest and most delicate frequencies which few people manage to hear.)

I have seen an automotive coolant sensor controller selling very well for 35 $, and it contained only 2 transistors and few resistors; a temperature transducer was efficiently sold for 20 $ and it contained only resistors! A friend of mine has sold for half a million dollars the license of a tiny, intelligent controller for boilers. Please note, he was a beginner designer, and the application itself was nothing past beginning hardware design level. Of course, my friend was very lucky to find the right people who needed that particular application, and who were willing to pay handsomely for it. This is in fact the difficult problem: finding the right and the needed commercial product, and this is why I said you should allocate ten good years to research the market, or to find the opportunity. Sure, you could discover even ten commercial products in ten years–the more they are, the better it is!

So, the need to become an employer and of improving your skills are sufficiently strong motivations to start learning hardware design. You could still be unclear about why hardware design in particular; why not firmware, or even software design? This is true, and you could do it anyway you want; however, starting with hardware design it is particularly beneficial. First of all, hardware is the beginning of the hardware-firmware-software chain, and it is best to start everything from the very beginning, one step at a time. Secondly, hardware design helps building your commercial product as an independent unit, or as a perfectly contained application. Next, the range of beneficial hardware applications it is way larger, and the competition is a bit less brutal, when compared to firmware and software. On the other hand, hardware design is going to lead you, naturally, to firmware and software design. My belief is, starting with hardware design it is the best method of learning, because you take everything from ground up.

All right, I am certain you are motivated enough by now. Your next question is: “How do I do this?” You see, this is in fact the easy part! Incidentally, you could start by visiting my home site, Corollary Theorems. Have no fears, my friend; you are going to discover that hardware, firmware and software design are very easy to learn, and they are even fun!

Little relaxation in your spare time it is very good and quite necessary. Although you do not hear much about this, lately, when I was a bit younger we were encouraged to experiment with “active relaxation”. This means, by reading an instructive, useful book, you could get the same level of relaxation as when listening music, or playing PC games. However, the lecture of a good book is going to enrich your level of knowledge, and you will gain valuable skills, instead of just “killing time”. This is the theory behind the active relaxation concept. Nice, aye?

O G POPA is Professional Engineer in BC, Canada. His home site is Corollary Theorems at http://www.corollarytheorems.com

Posted in Hardware | No Comments »

finding high quality wallpapers for your desktop computer

Thursday, February 28th, 2008

Finding High Quality Wallpapers for Your Desktop Computer

Writen by Jo Williams

If you have ever wanted to ditch your computer’s plain looking background, there are plenty of options available online for you to download wallpapers. Wallpapers are images of just about anything imaginable that can be used as the background on your computer screen. While wallpapers are a lot of fun and can add some personality to your desktop computer, they are often cheap looking and potentially dangerous. In this article, we’ll give you simple tips for finding high quality wallpapers for your desktop computer.

You are probably wondering how simple wallpapers could possibly be dangerous. Well, the fact is that many sites offer free wallpapers, but do not have the proper tools to fight against computer viruses. When people download these wallpapers to their desktop computer, they can have their whole system compromised by these nasty worms. So, how can you find high quality wallpapers for your desktop computer that won’t cause you trouble? Let’s take a closer look.

The first thing you should do to safeguard both yourself and your computer is install pop-up blockers and spam blockers. In addition, you should also install a reputable virus scan program (such as McAfee) that can alert you to any potential dangers before they infect your computer. The next thing to do is to only download wallpapers from sites that you know and trust. While the internet is a fun place to be, it is filled with a lot of garbage web sites that exist only to wreak havoc on people’s computer systems. If you are unfamiliar with a site, or immediately become bombarded with pop-up ads after visiting, it is best to try another wallpaper service.

Another tip in finding high quality wallpapers for your desktop computer is to download directly from your favorite fan sites. For example, say you are a huge sports fan or you absolutely love a TV show. By going to the official web site of your team or program, you will have a variety of wallpaper choices to select from. This is an advantage over other sites for many reasons. First, you are able to download exactly the image you want without searching all over the internet. Second, the wallpapers provided on these sites will be much better quality than those offered on free sites.

One last way to find high quality wallpapers is to pay for them. While this may sound outrageous to pay for something you can get for free (water anyone?), there are advantages to paying for a desktop wallpaper. Pay wallpapers are the absolute best quality – in both picture and selection. Another benefit to paying for wallpaper is that the site will probably have virus protection, meaning that you can download with confidence.

As you can see, finding high quality wallpapers for your desktop computer doesn’t have to be a hassle. Just be sure to use common sense and trusted providers, and you will be able to download many exciting wallpapers for your computer!

Jo Williams has an interest in Home & Garden related topics. To access more information on custom desktop computer or on refurbished desktop computer, please click on the links.

Posted in SoftWare | No Comments »

used large format scanners

Thursday, February 28th, 2008

Used Large Format Scanners

Writen by Damian Sofsian

For many who want to install a large format scanner, a used one will do as satisfactorily as a brand new one and at a much lower cost. Consider an engineering firm that does all its design in CAD. It might still want to convert some of the older drawings, or those obtained from other sources, to digital form. A used scanner obtained from an authorized dealer with a warranty and maintenance contract would fulfill this need much more economically than a new scanner, since the application does not require the latest models. But an art museum, library or a reprographic center may opt for a new machine with the best resolution and image quality.

When going for a pre-owned scanner, care must be taken to ensure that the machine is compatible with computers and operating systems that are used today. For example, some of the old Contex DOS-based scanners use a proprietary interface card that is no longer available. Some of the old models will need frequent repairs, and the parts for it will no longer be available. So it is always good to opt for scanners with a maintenance contract also included in the buying price. If the scanner is for temporary use, then the re-sale value should also be considered when making a choice.

The major attraction in buying a used scanner is the lower cost involved; but this should not be at the expense of quality. Buying from reliable vendors who are authorized by the manufacturers themselves ensures quality. Contex, Vidar, Graphtec and ACTion Imaging are some manufacturers who facilitate the re-sale of their used scanners. Re-sale involves repairing the old scanner and making required modifications to suit the present need. Standard accessories are also made available. When buying used scanners, it is always advisable to buy it from a dealer near you, since that will make the repair and maintenance easy, whenever necessary.

Large Format Scanners provides detailed information on Large Format Scanners, Large Format Color Scanners, Large Format Flatbed Scanners, Used Large Format Scanners and more. Large Format Scanners is affiliated with Home Theater Projector Screens.

Posted in Hardware | No Comments »

in search of the fabled cheap computer systems

Wednesday, February 27th, 2008

In Search Of The Fabled Cheap Computer Systems

Writen by Nick P Bentley

What kind of cyberspace machine do you prefer? Oh, you mean that’s not what they’re called? But they do take you on a trip through cyberspace. Therefore it just makes sense to call them cyber machines. Kind of like the way a time machine allows you to travel through time. Nobody ever called them a computer or a PC. However, for clarity reasons I will use the term personal computer.

Which company do you usually turn to when searching for cheap computer systems? There is always Tandy. And there’s always Mac. Now, I’m not referring to the cosmetic line here, ladies. Mac was a kind of computer first. You’ve heard of Apples, right? When it comes to Macs, there are a few different options at hand. Anything from desktop computers, to ibooks, to PowerBooks can be attained. All are amazing products and do virtually everything.

What do you use your PC primarily for? I can honestly say that I use mine for two major things. One of them being writing and the other being time travel. Oops, I meant cyber travel. I like to surf the web and search around for new stuff. It’s hard not to when there is just so much cool stuff to out there to find. Even great deals on computers themselves can be found online. What cheap computer systems have you managed to find lately?

You can get a number of cheap computer systems when browsing through the Dell market. If you are on the lookout for a fine PC, this is a prudent way to go. Hop online and check out Dell’s website. Talk about cheap computer systems, I don’t think any quality competitor can vie with some of the Dell desktop deals. I’m talking as low as a few hundred bucks for the whole motherload. Computer, monitor, keyboard, and even a free printer are often included in Dell’s cheap computer systems.

And then there are the specials. There are so many competitors these days that even Sony is getting in on the game. So get plugged into the World-Wide-Web today and rummage through the numerous cheap computer systems from the privacy of your own home. Upgrade as high as you want to. With today’s technology, the sky’s the limit.

For the latest in news, reviews and articles on free only paid surveys and technology related information.

Posted in Hardware | No Comments »

internet explorer 7 browser and small business websites

Wednesday, February 27th, 2008

Internet Explorer 7 Browser and Small Business Websites

Writen by Jim Degerstrom

From BETA version to final release on 18 Oct 2006, the talk about the new Microsoft Internet Explorer 7 browser replacement for the 5 year old IE6 includes a variety of conflicting opinions. Some sources of information are outdated from as far back as 2005, so use caution when searching for advice or reviews from experts you find online. Here is an example that may cause concern with small business website owners.

Quote: In July 2005, this comment about the BETA version of the IE7 browser was published and quoted on PC Magazine’s website: “At present, IE7 has a problem rendering some web pages. According to Microsoft, this is caused by the sites, which need to update their detection code for IE7.”

As of 19 Oct 2006, the link to this comment still displays near the top listings if you search in Google for “IE7+reviews”, so don’t be deceived by outdated information.

According to Microsoft “Internet Explorer 7 provides significant security improvements, making it far more secure than IE6. While Microsoft is encouraging everyone to upgrade to IE7, the application will not be installed without user consent during the Auto Update process. In addition, users will be able to rollback to Internet Explorer 6 by removing Internet Explorer 7 through the Windows Control Panel Add/Remove Programs utility.”

Small business owners may not have the time to study the latest trends in online browsers, and some changes may take them by surprise. The new version of the browser is offered during automatic updates. For business owners inexperienced in selecting options for auto updates, the new IE7 may be installed without realizing alternatives exist. If this happens to you, do not be alarmed. You probably needed it, especially the security enhancements.

Misinformation abounds, so use caution when anyone makes statements comparing IE7 to Y2K. Based on a variety of comments seen already, some website designers would have you believe that much like Y2K the new release could spell doom and gloom for websites designed with older code techniques. The best way to determine if the new Internet Explorer 7 browser is right for you is to actually test it, and see if in fact your site renders properly.

Look for graphics, blocks of text, or other elements that appear to be pushed out of place. Compliance to worldwide code standards established by the W3C, Worldwide Web Consortium, has been characterized by some website designers as a low priority for Microsoft in the past. Complying with code standards is voluntary, so of the 4 major browser vendors, Microsoft has a reputation amongst website designers for being slow to comply. As a result, code tricks called “hacks” have been included in HTML code to overcome past deficiencies. Maybe, just maybe, this could be a problem in your small business website design.

Other comments viewed online include statements that the IE7 upgrade is mandatory for XP users with SP2 and permanently replaces IE6. This is just not true. If you detest change, Microsoft gives you the rollback option to keep the familiar IE6. Even if you upgrade and find the learning curve too steep or uncomfortable, you may still revert to IE6 using commands within your control panel.

The real struggle may be for website designers when testing new designs for cross browser compatibility. Will your site display well in Opera, Netscape, and FireFox as well as the old IE5 or IE6, and now IE7? Most designers will test new designs; however, you may face some expense if older site designs need tweaking. When testing your site as suggested above, use your best judgment to decide if your site display is acceptable even if it is different.

For general interest, you may want to download all of the major browsers and test your site. Each is free, and although the majority of internet surfing is done with Internet Explorer, my advice is make sure your site displays well for the growing number of visitors who choose alternate browsers. Search in Google for “browser downloads” to find links for downloading each of the major browsers, especially FireFox, Opera, and Netscape.

Bonus Tip: Want to see how your site looks on a cell phone screen? Use the Opera browser and while on your page hold down the SHIFT button and press the F11 function key once. Opera will simulate the look of your website as seen on a cell phone screen. Repeat the steps to return to normal full view.

In conclusion, the new version IE7 browser has been announced with a variety of key benefits including improved security and enhanced support of CSS, Cascading Style Sheets. CSS is a technique used by some website designers for improved load time and rendering of web pages. Your small business website may or may not use CSS. It may not matter. Once the dust settles, the improved browsing experience will overcome any initial bugs we’ve learned to expect with any product launch.

Special note: Within 24 hours of the release of Microsoft Internet Explorer 7, media reports on 19 Oct 2006 circulated warning of security issues from spoof websites offering the latest release for download when in fact they install a trojan virus to open a backdoor portal on your computer. If your pc does not update automatically, do NOT consider downloading the new browser from any site other than the official Microsoft website.

Jim Degerstrom offers small business advice based on 30 years in management, sales, and marketing, including President or General Manager of small companies in 5 states. He is proficient in website and graphic art design, and runs his online Small Business Resource Center at http://www.jimdegerstrom.com from Kissimmee FL USA.

Posted in SoftWare | No Comments »

Asietude

Archive for February, 2008