why computers need batteries

Can you tell me why computers need batteries? I was just thinking about that the other day and I thought I would ask.

That's a very interesting question! Once I read this question, I was like, "Hmmm, I've never really thought about that before." I mean, why do computers need batteries? Don't they have enough power surging through them to work without a battery? Well, yes they do, but the battery actually serves some other purpose. Come along with me as we learn all about it!

First of all, most computers do contain a little battery. It's usually very small and just about the size of a quarter. The same type of batteries are used in other devices, such as digital cameras and camcorders. The battery isn't visible though, as it is usually located right in the motherboard. They usually come in a type of small holder as well, so even though you can't see them very easily, they can be replaced without much trouble.

The main reason for the computer battery is to keep time. Yes, if you think about it, pretty much everything that keeps time requires a battery. Who knew?! In a computer, the battery usually powers a small chip called the Real Time Clock (or RTC). The RTC usually runs at all times, even when the computer is not powered up. So, when you boot up your computer after it's been turned off for awhile, the battery charges the RTC and it's then able to clock the right time and date. Cool, huh?!

Now, the battery is not the only thing the RTC is used for. It actually contains approximately 64 bytes of your computer's RAM. The battery only uses 10 bytes of that, which leaves 54 bytes open for other uses. So, if you ever have trouble booting up your computer or if you have a wrong time and date once you get it turned on, it all ties in with the RTC.

It's very important to keep the battery in good shape as well. If you don't, you could run into more problems than just having the wrong time shown in the corner of your desktop. The RTC is actually what is called a quartz watch and those types usually last around five to seven years. After that, you'll definitely want to think about replacing the battery for your PC.

That's all I've got on that. It was short and sweet, but at least you now know all about your computer and its battery. Don't you just feel so educated?!

~ Erin

why computers need batteries

Can you tell me why computers need batteries? I was just thinking about that the other day and I thought I would ask.

That's a very interesting question! Once I read this question, I was like, "Hmmm, I've never really thought about that before." I mean, why do computers need batteries? Don't they have enough power surging through them to work without a battery? Well, yes they do, but the battery actually serves some other purpose. Come along with me as we learn all about it!

First of all, most computers do contain a little battery. It's usually very small and just about the size of a quarter. The same type of batteries are used in other devices, such as digital cameras and camcorders. The battery isn't visible though, as it is usually located right in the motherboard. They usually come in a type of small holder as well, so even though you can't see them very easily, they can be replaced without much trouble.

The main reason for the computer battery is to keep time. Yes, if you think about it, pretty much everything that keeps time requires a battery. Who knew?! In a computer, the battery usually powers a small chip called the Real Time Clock (or RTC). The RTC usually runs at all times, even when the computer is not powered up. So, when you boot up your computer after it's been turned off for awhile, the battery charges the RTC and it's then able to clock the right time and date. Cool, huh?!

Now, the battery is not the only thing the RTC is used for. It actually contains approximately 64 bytes of your computer's RAM. The battery only uses 10 bytes of that, which leaves 54 bytes open for other uses. So, if you ever have trouble booting up your computer or if you have a wrong time and date once you get it turned on, it all ties in with the RTC.

It's very important to keep the battery in good shape as well. If you don't, you could run into more problems than just having the wrong time shown in the corner of your desktop. The RTC is actually what is called a quartz watch and those types usually last around five to seven years. After that, you'll definitely want to think about replacing the battery for your PC.

That's all I've got on that. It was short and sweet, but at least you now know all about your computer and its battery. Don't you just feel so educated?!

~ Erin

Windows XP going off market in June: What it means

Windows XP going off market in June: What it means
Mon Apr 14, 2008 5:28PM EDT

Microsoft originally announced over a year ago that Windows XP would be

going off the market in January 2008. XP was later given a brief stay of execution, to June 30, 2008. That deadline is fast approaching, which has led to much panicking from people who aren't quite sure what XP's "going off market" means, exactly.

People are still as confused as ever. So let's take a stab at clarifying, once again, what's going to happen by answering some frequently asked questions about XP's imminent disappearance.

Will Windows XP really no longer be on sale after June 30? Sorry for the double negative, but no. All this means is that Microsoft will stop selling the OS. Finding a computer with XP preinstalled will likely be very difficult, as well. However, you'll still be able to find copies for the foreseeable future, and likely the unforeseeable one, too. See for yourself: You can find copies of just about any Microsoft product, including ancient versions of Windows and even MS-DOS, by simply searching online. But hang on to your current copy of Windows XP. You may need it down the road if you don't want to move to Vista.

Will I be forced to upgrade to Vista soon? No. But it will get harder and harder not to, especially since new software and peripherals are likely to stop working with XP. That could take years.

Will my XP machine stop working in June? No, but Microsoft will stop releasing non-security software updates to the masses on April 14, 2009. But let's be clear: XP will continue to "work" even after this point.

Will Microsoft shut off product activation for XP after June? No, that would be crazy. While no one has said this will happen, it's conceivable that Windows could shut down product activation for XP at some point. But that would only happen after XP reaches its end-of-support term (when all support plans expire). The good news for you: That happens on April 8, 2014, which should be plenty of time to get the kinks worked out of Vista-or switch to a Mac, Linux, or anything else. Bottom line: Your copy of XP will work, totally legally, for at least six more years.

What about this exception for Windows XP Home Edition I hear about? Doesn't apply to you. Microsoft will continue to sell XP to makers of ultra-cheap laptops like the Asus Eee PC until 2010 because they just can't run Vista. But it is not going to make XP Home Edition available as installable software to end-users.

What about after 2014? Well, that's unclear. But it's possible XP will stop being installable at that point. Microsoft's official policy is that these dates have "no affect [sic] on how long you can use a product," which may imply product activation will work forever. However, two things come to mind:

1) Even the most die-hard XP enthusiast will probably be ready to upgrade at that point (as XP will be nearly 15 years old, and your PC will be dead by then, I'm sure).

2) Even if Microsoft shuts off product activation, the hacker community will certainly make dozens of tools to let you continue using XP with abandon. Fret not.

Can I install XP on a PC that has Vista already on it? Yes. You can delete any partition with any OS on it (and reformat it) during the installation of XP. If you're feeling brave, you can even run both OSes at the same time by setting up a dual-boot machine.

Whew! Does that clear everything up? Feel free to continue sending your queries and adding your comments below.

Note: This post was originally created in April 2007 and updated with new and changed information in April 2008.

NEWS from: http://tech.yahoo.com/blogs/null/25252

Download Best free antivirus software

Best free antivirus software

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install Windows 2000 without supplying the CD key

You can configure W2K to install without having to manually enter the CD key during the setup process.

First, you want to copy your Windows 2000 setup files from your CD to your hard drive. You have to copy at least the I386 directory.

Now go into the I386 directory you just copied onto your hard drive and look for a file called setupp.ini.

Right click it, select Properties, and remove the Read-only checkmark. Now open the file to edit it.

http://www.petri.co.il/install_windows_2000_without_supplying_the_cd_key.htm

IE 7's Search Tool

Chances are, if you’re an Internet Explorer 7 user, you have seen the built-in search box in the top right hand corner. You know, the one that looks like this:

Now, you may be wondering why Live Search is being used and not Google, right? Well, basically, Internet Explorer is a Microsoft-based program and Google is not. And since Microsoft is a pretty smart company, they’re not going to use the most popular search engine (Google) for their Web browser. Instead, they used Live Search, which is run by Microsoft. That makes sense, but what if you prefer Google? (Don't worry, so do I!) Is there anything you can do? Keep reading and you'll find out!

Luckily, there is a solution! You are able to change the default search engine in IE 7 to any one of your choice. You can even opt to put Google’s I’m Feeling Lucky search feature in the search box if you want! Here's how:

First off, click on the drop down menu in the top right hand corner of Internet Explorer 7 and choose Find More Providers.

Let's say you want to add Google. To do that, go to http://www.google.com (in another tab or window) and enter in the word TEST (in all capital letters). Next, go back to the Find More Providers page and paste the entire URL from the other page (http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=TEST) into the yellow box in step 3. Now, name the URL something like "Google" or "Google Search" and hit the Install button. Note: Make sure your yellow box looks like this before you proceed:

You’ll then be taken to a confirmation screen. Confirm everything and then go take a look at the search engine drop down menu. You should now see Google there as an option. You can then set Google as your default search engine by clicking Change Search Defaults, Google. So, now, your search box will look like this:

That was easy enough, right? Happy searching!

~ Brandon Zubek

MS Office From One Sheet to the Next

Do you work with MS Excel a lot? Do you use multiple sheets inside the same workbook?

If so, have you ever found yourself trying to reference a value from a worksheet other than the one you're currently working with?

I bet you noticed a problem when you tried the same old formula, am I right? For example, if you need the value from cell B2 from sheet 1 in a formula on sheet 3 and used =B2 as your formula, you were in for a surprise. You got the value from cell B2, but unfortunately, it was from worksheet 3, not worksheet 1. What a nightmare!

Looking for the "magic" you must add to your formulas to get Excel to behave the way you'd like?

Was that a big yes I heard? I knew it!

Here's the trick: unless you tell Excel to look on a different worksheet, it's going to pull numbers from the sheet that contains the formula. So, you need to tell Excel exactly where to go (that is, tell it where to find your data). You'll need to add the sheet name to your formula so that Excel knows which sheet to look on for your value.

Continuing with the example from above, if you want to pull a value located in cell B2 on sheet 1, you would enter in this formula:

=Sheet1!B2

Yep, that's it! You simply have to add the sheet name (with the !) before the cell address and you've instantly got the value you really wanted.

Even more, the value will automatically update as you change the original data in cell B2 on worksheet 1. How great is that? Give it a try today!

Opera 9.27 Has Arrived!

Have you heard the good news?! If you're an avid Opera user, I'm sure you have, but just in case some of you missed it, I'm here to fill you in. Lucky for all of us, a brand new version of the Opera Web browser has just been released and it is now available for download. On April 3, 2008, Opera 9.27 made its debut and it came with plenty of new features. Keep reading for all the details!

First of all, I want to make it clear that this new release is a security and stability upgrade, so if you haven't downloaded it yet, you should do so as soon as possible. Other than that, here's a list of the changes that were made. As far as security goes, two issues were fixed that could have led to arbitrary code problems and password inputs were made more secure. Along with those, a bit torrent issue was fixed and a couple other stability problems were addressed as well.

If you want to see a complete list of everything that was changed, you can visit this Web site. You can read a lot more about v9.27 there. Then when you're ready to download Opera 9.27 for yourself, go here. Simply choose the language you'd like to use and then click on the green Download Opera button. Just follow the install directions and you'll be all set. Again, if you haven't downloaded the new version yet, I urge you to do so soon. It's time to start enjoying your Opera browser to the max!

Firefox 3 It's Almost Ready

For the past couple of weeks, news about Firefox 3 has been spreading like wildfire all over the Web. Users have been desperately trying to figure out when it will be released and more importantly, how much longer they'll have to wait. Several posts have been made on WorldStart's message board about it as well and since it seems like so many of you are invested in the new version of the popular Web browser, I thought I'd give you a little update of my own. Check it out!

From what I can see, it looks like the final version of Firefox 3 will be released very soon. On April 2, 2008 (just this past Wednesday), Firefox 3 Beta 5 was released and it sounds like it will be the last one before the full version makes its debut. Of course, the beta versions are meant for testing purposes only, but with five betas under their belt, it looks as if Mozilla is almost ready for the launch. According to a Reuters report, "Mozilla's development team has deemed the newest version of their very popular browser all but fit for mass consumption." Sounds promising to me!

Although a final release date has not been scheduled yet, there are rumors going around that the full version should be ready sometime in the second quarter of 2008. Mozilla just needs a little more time for further testing and to perfect it for all of you avid users out there. It sounds like the Beta 5 will focus mostly on the visual aspects of the browser, as well as, stability and security. So, don't fret! Firefox 3 is almost ready and it will be here soon. And I promise, it will be well worth your wait!

Tips for Programmers

Have you ever wondered who creates the computer programs and other software you use on a daily basis? I mean, especially if it's a program you really enjoy using, don't you wish you knew who made such a great piece of software? Well, I can't give out any names, but I can tell you that those people are called computer programmers. Here's a little information about them!

Programmers, also referred to as software developers, are the ones who write all of the computer software that comes out on the market each and every day. They are the masterminds who write the code for many different kinds of software. Computer programmers go to their daily jobs and they design computer software. They are all professionals and specialists in what they do.

Along with programmers, there are other people who take care of other aspects of creating software. For example, there's a programmer analyst, software engineer, computer scientist and software analyst. The first programmer known in history is Ada Lovelace. She was the first to bring up the thought of an algorithm in 1842. Pretty cool, huh?

Active ISO Burner

Have you ever come across a file ending in .iso? If you have, I'm sure you were able to figure out what it was and how to use it, right? Or, if not, you soon will! ISO files are quickly becoming the new way to deliver a CD's content through a download. For example, if you download any of the new Microsoft Office programs over the Internet, you will be sent an ISO file. They are very nice for transporting data as well. I mean, they allow a company to send you an entire CD's worth of data in one single file. It doesn't get any better than that!

Now that you know more about ISO files, I'll get to the point! How do you turn an ISO file into a CD? That's one question that came across my desk today. And luckily, I have found a free download that makes turning an ISO file into a CD very quick and easy. The program is called Active ISO Burner. Simply download and install the program and the next time you come across an ISO file, just open Active ISO Burner and drag the ISO file you downloaded into the window that appears. After that, just insert a blank disk into your computer and click Burn. It really is that easy!
You can download Active ISO Burner for yourself right here. Enjoy!

Chat Lingo

Do you chat? You know, do you sit and talk to your friends and family over the computer through an instant messenger, such as Yahoo! or AOL? If you do, you may be familiar with the chat lingo that has become so popular these days. If you don't chat very often, you may use the chat lingo in your e-mails instead.

Either way, you may be interested in knowing about some of the slang terms that are used, so here's a small list of some of the more common ones:

LOL = Laugh Out Loud
BRB = Be Right Back
TTYL = Talk To You Later
GTG = Got To Go
AFK = Away From Keyboard
JK = Just Kidding
THX = Thanks
TY = Thank You
YW = You're Welcome
ROFL = Rolling on the Floor Laughing
L8R = Later

So, the next time you're chatting away, use some of these terms and impress all of your chat buddies!

Twilight Photography

A lot of emphasis is put on sunset photography. But, if you stop and think about it, it’s difficult to get a different, yet engaging shot from a sunset. Therefore, how about thinking lateral? You know, taking pictures long after the sun has gone down. And that's exactly where twilight photography comes into play. The best thing to do is wait 15 to 20 minutes after the sun has dropped below the horizon before actually snapping a picture. Your results may vary and it could take as long as 40 minutes after the sunset for any magic to really happen. So, before you go out into the night, here are a few tips that will keep you from unnecessary hassles. Let's take a look!

Get All the Tools

By this, I mean a rock steady tripod, a fully charged battery (with at least a couple spare batteries just in case it runs out of juice) and a good amount of patience.

Arrive Before Sundown

Twilight photography is mostly about landscapes with people, trees, etc. acting as silhouettes to contrast the setting and infuse more life into those images. Therefore, it’s important to study the natural landscape where you're shooting. And that's why it’s best to go before sundown to study your location's highs and lows. You should also keep the time of the season in mind before you venture off. Days could be warmer, but nights can get cold. That is particularly true if you're shooting at high altitudes where the temperature drop after sundown is fast and dramatic.

Now that you're all set up, look around and see if there is a lake nearby, a giant rock that resembles a human, bird, animal, etc. that might make for some interesting shots. It could even be the unique pattern a tree’s branches create. Anything interesting is worth capturing, so take note of everything.

Take Some Test Shots

What your mind perceives may not really turn out to be what you think. Therefore, it’s best to test out your subjects using different settings and different focal length options, such as telephoto to wide angle. Set your camera on a tripod and compose your image. After you set your camera into the full manual mode, set the aperture, shutter speed, ASA and white balance. You'll want to set your ASA as low as it will go, which is not less than ASA 100. You should also set your f-stop somewhere between f8 and f13. Next, lock your focus on the portion of the image you think is the key element. Check your focus and then check it again. After that comes the most important thing: turning off the autofocus so that you have more room to focus on what you want to see and nothing else. That's where your shots become unique and stand out from the usual sundown photos.

You should test shoot for only ten minutes after sundown and not before. Of course, the pictures won’t be as good as you'd expect, but remember, they are only test shots to get your camera ready and to check on your composition and settings.

Get Your White Balance Going

Since most of you probably use the JPEG mode to shoot pictures, white balance is key to a good landscape photograph (it's not necessary if you're shooting in RAW). Use your camera’s LCD screen to judge colors and contrast. At this point, some photographers drop their white balance to 2,800 degrees K, even if only to increase the saturation of blue tones. Then again, that is largely subjective. You need to do what suits you best, but the white balance will significantly change the way you take your pictures. You should then take a few more test shots to see if you’ve picked an appropriate white balance and exposure. Keep taking pictures until you've found your sweet spot!

Keep Clicking

Now, your test shots are over and you're ready for the real thing. Here again, you need to keep taking pictures, because you never know what you might end up with. You should start between 20 and 25 minutes after sundown. Of course, there are exceptions to the rule, but in most cases, a half hour window is all you need to get your twilight pictures singing and dancing! You should continuously tweak your exposure time and keep clicking away to capture the fleeting moment in which you could treasure for life. My advice is to keep shooting even when things appear to be dull and monotonous. Why, you ask? Well, the cycle can be quite unpredictable. Something that's dull one minute could turn into the most spectacular image, so you have to keep clicking!

Patience is Key

At the end of the day, twilight photography requires a lot of patience, because you're shooting nature, which is something you can’t control. The best way to cope with that is to keep clicking, keep changing settings and continue shooting until at least one hour has passed after sundown. Once you decide there’s nothing more to it and you don’t have the energy to carry on, you should pack up your bags and call it a day.

And Finally...

After you transfer all of your pictures to your computer, you shouldn't delete the images that appear dull at first sight. If you give it some time, you may find that some of the images have a certain quality that makes them unique. That’s the magic of twilight photography!

Windows XP: Going Off the Market?

With Windows Vista's popularity still on the low side, Microsoft is trying anything they can think of to boost their new operating system's sales. Unfortunately, they have found one method that most of us will have a hard time accepting. On June 31, 2008, Microsoft will basically "kill off" their famous operating system of Windows XP, taking it off the market all together.

This fate was expected, since XP was originally released in 2001, but with the push of Vista, the loss will be even harder on Windows users. Windows XP users can still continue to run the operating system for as long as they want, but product support from Microsoft will end on April 14, 2009. That's also when it will become even harder to buy the XP operating system.

So, why would Microsoft remove Windows XP from the market? Well, like most software corporations, Microsoft is out to make a profit, while also providing the newest and most up to date software to their customers. Since Vista is their latest version of Windows, they are trying to make it the most popular operating system on the market. Therefore, they are removing the older versions of Windows from the market to make more room for Vista.

Also, larger enterprises have been slow in transitioning their computer systems from Windows XP to Windows Vista. Microsoft hopes that by removing Windows XP, those larger organizations will finally make the move over to Vista.

For those of you who are looking at buying a new computer and want Windows XP installed on it, you'll want to grab a copy before June 2008. Just giving you a heads up!

easy way to monitor CPU usage

Judging by today's question, it's safe to say that you don't consistently monitor your CPU usage. Am I right? If you don't, it's not the end of the world, but it is a good idea to keep an eye on it every once in awhile. What do I mean by CPU usage? Well, it's basically the percentage of your computer system (programs, other applications, etc.) that's being used at any given time. Let's check it out!

If you use several programs on your computer at once, your usage may be a little higher than when you're not doing anything. Either way though, there is usually some part of your system that is filled up. Even when you're not using any programs, there will still be a small percentage gone due to the antivirus, firewall, spyware, etc. programs you have running in the background. It's nothing to worry about, but it's good to keep all of that in mind just in case.

To see how much of your CPU is being used at any given time, you just need to open the Task Manager. The easiest way to do that is to hit Ctrl + Alt + Del (all at the same time). It will then pop right up on your screen. Now, the percentage number is under the Processes tab and it's located toward the bottom, labeled CPU Usage. You can watch it fluctuate back and forth between the percentages if you want as well. That way, you know exactly how much is being used at all times.

While you're in the Task Manager, you can also look at some performance and networking numbers if you're interested in that. Again, it's always a good idea to keep your eye on these things, so go to it!

SeaMonkey updated with firefox version

As you can see from this tip's title, I have even more exciting new release information for you today! Yesterday, I told you about the new Firefox 2.0.0.13 and along with that, there's a brand new SeaMonkey version as well. That's right, on March 25, 2008, SeaMonkey 1.1.9 was released and it is now available for download. The updated version fixes all kinds of security issues, so if you haven't gotten it for yourself yet, I would recommend you do so soon. Keep reading for all the important details!

SeaMonkey 1.1.9 closes out several security vulnerabilities and a few other small problems that were found in previous versions. You can see a complete list of the changes on this Web site. After you go through the list, you may recognize that a lot of the issues are very similar to what was updated in Firefox last week as well. The Mozilla company and SeaMonkey are "siblings," so they try to stay on the same security level with each other. So, basically, if you use both Firefox and SeaMonkey, you're good to go!

Like I said before, the new version of the all-in-one Internet suite can be downloaded at any time, but I urge you to get it as soon as possible. Otherwise, you're putting yourself and your computer in harm's way. You can download SeaMonkey 1.1.9 right here. Once you get there, simply click on the operating system you use and then follow the directions. It's a quick download, so you'll be up and running in no time. Enjoy it!