Bad usability usually leads colossal losses for product manufacturers. This seemingly basic concept is the key to enhancing user experience and increasing product sales. The point being: if it isn’t easy to use, why should anyone use/buy it?
Let’s take a few examples to understand what usability is and why it is important. Do you know what the following sign depicts?
You probably got it right without much thought. This is one of the goals of usability: Complete the task or tasks without making the user think too much. This is an example of high usability. Now let’s look at another example, do you know what the following sign is trying to communicate?
It’s obvious that the designer of this signage is trying to convey, “When there is a fire, do not use the elevators, rather use the stairs”. Now, imagine you are in a building which is on fire and you see this sign. As it takes more time to read, you’d probably use the drawings to understand the message.
The top and middle drawings are self-explanatory. However, the stairs image is where you, a person trying to escape, might take a while to decipher. Why? Well…the sign doesn’t tell you which way to go. It shows a person going downstairs, while there is another person going upstairs. In a real fire situation, this would lead to chaos and a safety nightmare! This is an example of low usability and the consequences it can lead too can be drastic.
What is Usability?
Usability refers how easily a user can interact with a product to perform a certain task. Considering how broad this definition is, it is not surprising that usability is applicable to many products and processes, such as signage, software, books, web sites, and household products.
Usability is very common in everyday life. For example, do you remember how difficult it was to record your favorite programs by using a VCR or how easy it can be to purchase a product from a web site that has no usability errors? I’m sure you’ve had your fair share of usability related issues.
Before you read on, take a minute to list your favorite products and web sites. Three each will do.
When is a Product or Web Site Usable?
There are several factors that can be considered for gauging the usability of a product. The key factors are:
Easy to learn: Users should intuitively know how to use the product and its features. The last thing you want is to have a user read through pages and pages of a user manual.
Memorable: After using the system, users should be able to re-use the system without going through the manuals again.
Satisfaction: Users should appreciate using the system. It should be a pleasurable experience.
Now, look back at the list you created. Odds are that the items you’ve listed excel at the factors listed above.
Usability is the key to making successful products and web sites.
~Rupen Sharma
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See Right Through
Ever find yourself trying to create a "cut-out" or frame effect for a PowerPoint slide? (One shape inside another with the inside shape "see thru" to the slide's background).
Maybe something like this?
If this is something you've wished you could do then I've got good news for you - you can and it's easier than you may have every imagined.
Obviously, the first step is to create the shapes you're going to use for your cutout.
Since it's the inside shape we're looking to make into the cut-out it's the one we must direct out attention to.
To create this "see thru" effect we simply need to set the shape's fill to the background fill. Fortunately, this doesn't mean trying to match colors or search out patterns… we simply tell PowerPoint to use the background and it will.
So, here's where we find the setting for background fill.
Older versions of PowerPoint:
Right-click on the shape and choose Format AutoShape.
On the Colors and Lines tab of the Format AutoShape dialog box you need the Fill section.
Click the down arrow to the right of the current fill color.
At the bottom of the list you should find Background… choose it.
Click OK to exit to your presentation.
PowerPoint 2007:
Right-click on the shape and choose Format Shape.
You'll be presented with this Format Shape dialog box. Go to the Fill category (chosen from the list on the left side.)
Choose Slide background fill and click Close to return to your presentation.
And that's it… when you place this shape over another it will appear to be see thru.
Oh… and one more really cool thing… if you move the shape around you'll find that the fill will "move" too. It really is a fill of the background behind the shape exactly as the background appears at any given location.
~ April
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I know our more experienced web users are maybe giggling to themselves at this point, but I tell ya, I get this question a lot. When you come across a link you can't click, copy & paste it into your web browser, then hit Enter . You should be zipped away to the site in question.
But..but...why do I get links I can't click in the first place?
In most cases it has more to do with your e-mail client (program) than the person who sent you the message. For example, AOL won't show a clickable link unless the link is written in HTML code. Older versions of some browsers won't show the link as clickable unless it starts with http://, and the list goes on.
To be sure of reaching your destination, use the above method. Copy the link and paste it into your web browser. No fuss, no muss!
~ Andrew
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How to Change your Power Supply Unit
The Power Supply Unit, or PSU, is the most important part of any PC, powering each section of your computer, it is essential to make sure it is running smoothly.
There might be multiple reasons for you to change your PSU, but the most common would be that you want to upgrade, as some higher range graphics cards need more wattage than your current PSU can supply. Another reason would be that your old PSU has died. If you are here, you'll be relieved to hear it's also one of the easiest components to replace.
What you will need to change your PSU:
- One Screwdriver (Generally a phillips head screwdriver, depending on your setup)
- Some Cable Ties (To keep the new PSU's wires together to increase better airflow and minimize the mess)
- One new PSU, and in some situations, a good amount of patience.
How to change your PSU:
- First, what you need to do is disconnect your PC from all of the wires going into the back and unscrew or unlatch your case in order to access the innards
- At this point you'll want to lay your case on its side and get the static electricity out of your body by either touching the bottom of the case or having an Antistatic band available. The reason you need to do this is because under the circumstances there's a high chance you'll be touching some of the computer chips. If the static from your body is released upon the chips it could greatly damage them, so always be sure to get the static out of you before touching anything inside your PC!
- Now here comes the fiddly part, first let's start off with the CD or DVD drives (optical drives).
+ Depending on how many you have you'll want to pull on the cord coming from the PSU going into the back of the drive until it pops out, if you have an older computer, they might be rather hard to pull out but keep pulling at it and eventually they'll come free.
+ What you'll want to do is remember what sort of connector came out of where. It will generally be either a Molex or a SATA connector. Keep this in mind for when you need to reconnect everything. Below are some examples of Molex and SATA connectors.
Molex Connector
SATA Connector
- With the optical drives done, you should move on to the HDD (Hard Disk Drive).
+ And just as with the optical drive, you'll want to pull out the PSU cord going into the back of it.
- OK so far so good, optical and hard disk drives done, so lets go for the floppy disk drive. Like the other components, just pull it out.
- Almost done, now look to the biggest chip in the computer, known as the motherboard. It should have one large connection on it coming from the PSU, this one will have a small latch on it, so before trying to take it out, pull on the small latch until its free and then pull the connector up.
+Depending on your PC, there might another four point connection near the fan on your PSU, this one will also have a latch on it. So like the one before, push on the latch and pull it out.
- With all the connections taken out take your screwdriver and take out the 4-5 screws at the back of your PC case that are holding the PSU in place, it's generally found at the top of the case. It's now safe to remove your PSU from the case.
- Now you'll want to place your new PSU into place, screw it into place. And now connect all the all the connections back into place, you'll want to use your cable ties to keep order inside of your PC.
- Once you have connected everything back up put your case back on and you're ready to go!
~Natasha Shepherd
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Shrink to Fit
Ever have data in MS Excel that's just a bit too long for the cell?
What happened?
Did the column widen to accommodate? Or, maybe you got the infamous ##### to let you know that the number didn't fit. Oh, and let's not forget everyone's favorite: the old "convert the number to scientific notation."
If the results of Excel's attempt to accommodate the large data are not to your satisfaction, here's an alternative you can try to see if you like it any better. (After all, too many columns with extra width may cause problems for printing later on in your day).
Excel has a cell formatting option called "shrink to fit." Its effects on data look like this:
What it does is reduce the font size for the data piece that's too long for the column. (Of course, there are limits and if the data is too long, Excel will also make some of the usual changes).
Also, should you increase the column width, Excel will automatically adjust the font size back up, maxing out at the original font size.
So, how do we "shrink to fit"?
That's a good question, so let's get to that part.
You need to begin by highlighting the cell(s), column(s) or row(s) that need this setting.
Next, we need to open the Format Cells dialog box. (Older version of Excel would use the Format menu, Format Cells choice; Excel 2007 users would need to click the dialog box launcher in the bottom right corner of the Font section on the Home tab of the Ribbon; or... everyone will find that either a Right-click, Format Cells choice or Ctrl + 1 will do just fine.)
At this point, you need to select the Alignment tab.
In the Text Control section, select the Shrink to fit choice.
Click OK.
That's it. Just one more tool to add to your toolbox when you're handling long data in Excel!
~ April
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Q:
How do I record over a CD-RW? I tried to record over it, but that didn't work it says to make it a blank CD first.
A:
We all know the difference between a CD-R and a CD-RW right? Once you fill up a CD-R, that's it, but a CD-RW allows you to re-write data and use the disk over and over again.
Keep in mind, though, that unlike a floppy or Zip disk, you cannot erase just one file from a CD-RW, but must reformat the entire disk to re-use it. The disk makers claim you can do this up to 1000 times (like any of us are gonna try it ;-)
The process for reformatting varies according to your CD burning software, but most programs will have an "Erase Disk" button somewhere.
In addition, as we often mention, Windows XP and Vista have built-in CD burning. If you put in a CD-RW that you want erased, double-click the CD recording drive, then under "CD Writing Tasks", click "Erase this CD-RW". The CD Writing Wizard will walk you through an easy 2-step process giving you a blank CD-RW to use.
REMEMBER: This will delete all files from the CD-RW, you cannot erase single files. There are, however, products out there that make your CD-RW's act like really big floppies.
Oh, did I mention that this tip also applies to DVD-Rs? Well, it does!
~ David
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Core 2 and Core 2 Duo?
Back in the day buying a processor was as simple as looking at the megahertz or gigahertz and purchasing based on the bigger number. I know there's more to it than that like onboard cache and what-not, but in comparison to what we've got to work with today, life seemed simpler back then.
So, for example, what's the difference between Core 2 and Core 2 Duo?
Let's explore!
Core 2 is the successor to Intel's Pentium D line of processors, which was basically two Pentium 4 “Prescott” processors duct-taped together and called Dual Core. Core 2 is this, only with a more refined construction, making it more efficient in terms of both power and consumption of power. This design is perfect for laptops.
Core 2 Duo, on the same hand, is the successor to the Core 2 architecture, but is designed for desktops and laptops. Once again, more powerful and more energy efficient than previous models.
It's just a matter of variants at this point, with the familiar “gigahertz” numbers buried deep within the processor's specifications sheet. You'll see something like Core i7 950, which just so happens to have multiple processors running at 3.06ghz. The next model up, the 965 Extreme, clock in at 3.20ghz per processor. Remember to search the manufacturer's website for more info, and if you're still confused, Wikipedia has some decent information on all of the current processors on the market.
~Andrew
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Early Morning On The "French" (Photo contest winner) Taken at Five Fish Resort & Marina on the French River about 5:30AM. One of the Water Lillies at the Huntington Library. It's all free, so enjoy! All can be found here: http://www.worldstart.com/ Enjoy!
August Wallpaper
Here's this month's free calendar wallpaper! As always, it's 100% free, so head on over and grab one!
Water Lily (Photo contest winner) 
Bryce Canyon
Avira Anti-Virus Basics
If you have been using the various types of software offered by companies active in improving the security status of the personal and business computers, you've more than likely have heard of the popular Avira AntiVir program along the way. Like the other efficient and feature rich anti-virus and anti-Trojan applications, the latest release from the Avira company has lot of options worth taking a brief look at.
Although you can easily use the paid version of the Avira, (which has been downloaded millions of times) there's also a lite version that can be installed on personal computers for free. The latest version of the program is 9.0.0.407 and clocks in around 32MB in size to download off the net.
After installing and launching the program on your computer, the tray icon will always display the program and by right clicking on that, you can either activate or deactivate it.
For accessing the main options and panel of the program, right click on the tray icon and select the second option to load the main window of the software.
The working interface of the program is user friendly, with easy to reach options and links. The recommended status of the AntiVir Guard is to remain activated as this status will protect your system against threats and Malware.
The second option on the panel will tell you when you last scanned your computer using the software and if you like to restart the process, simply click the respective link and the scanning phase will get switched on.
While the program is checking your computer for Adware and Malware, you will see the reports displayed on your screen regarding the number of the infected files which could harm your system, plus the number of scanned folders and other useful information you might be interested in knowing about.
By default, Avira has been adjusted to allow the important updates and patches be downloaded automatically and then installed on your computer. Keeping Avira in optimal updated shape is highly recommended, but if you would like to manually run the update, simply use the link.
To download the latest version of the software, simply click the link below and you can save and install it on your computer conveniently. http://download.cnet.com/
The application can run on the computers which have either of the Windows 2000, XP or Vista operating systems. If you are interested in testing the other ranges of products the company offers, like the Firewall program you can take a look at their website: http://www.avira.com
~Hamid Reza
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Folder Toolbar
I found this one by accident. I was dragging a folder to the Recycle Bin but instead I dropped it at the top of the screen. Surprise! A toolbar appeared at the top displaying the contents of the folder. Pretty cool.
I noticed that not all the files were listed, then I saw a double arrow on the right side and clicked it. There I found the rest of my files.
Then the novelty wore off, so what to do? Well, if you right click an empty area of the toolbar and select "Toolbars" you can uncheck the folder name from the list.
If you like the toolbar but don't want it showing all the time, you can also choose "auto-hide" for it to appear when you mouse over (as long as you don't have other toolbars already on auto-hide).
What a nice surprise.
~ Chad
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Emoticons
Emoticons are little text representations of emotions that you find in email, chat rooms, and IM's. When you talk to someone, they can tell what you mean by the tone of your voice or the look on your face. Want some examples? Sure you do! Check out Worldstart today!
Obsolete Skills
Dialing a rotary phone? Shorthand? Refilling a fountain pen? All obsolete skills that have been lost in the sands of time. Want to re-learn them? Check out the Worldstart site today and get all nostalgic!
Here's the link you need: http://www.worldstart.com/ Enjoy!
Get Right To It
When you open a file in one of your MS Office programs do you find that you're always navigating away from "My Documents" to some other folder?
Ever wish that it would just open up to that location in the first place?
If so then here's the good news… you can set each program to go directly to whatever location you desire when you go to open a file.
I can honestly say that this is one of the first adjustments I make when "moving in" to a new computer. While I use many different folders to help sort out my files, I usually find that there's one in particular that I use the most so I set the program to call up that location whenever I open a file.
If it sounds like a good plan to you then here's what you need to know…
Everyone needs to work in the Options dialog box and, as always, that means different directions for different versions.
Let's begin with the older versions of the MS Office Suite.
First you'll need the Tools menu, Options choice.
From there you are looking for the tab that will let you set the "Default file location".
In Word it's the File Locations tab: select the Documents file type and then click the Modify button. In the next dialog box locate the folder and click OK. Then click OK again to exit the Options dialog box.
When looking in Excel I found it on the General tab and in PowerPoint it was on the Save tab. For Excel and PowerPoint you'll have to enter the folder location manually then click OK to exit the Options dialog box.
Now, as for my Office 2007 users:
You begin with the Options button for whatever program you're using which is located in the Office Button list.
Go to the Save options category and locate field for "Default file location".
Some programs will let you browse and select the default location, others will not so you'll have to type it yourself.
Once the correct location is in the field click OK to exit the Options dialog box.
As a suggestion for anyone who has to enter the new location manually… if it's in a location with a complicated path then you might try to actually open the folder then copy and paste its location into the field.
That's it, you're done. Next time you start the process to open a file the program should go immediately to the location you chose… allowing you to get right down to business without delay.
~ April
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Q:
What are "zipped" files?
A:
A zip file is basically a "package" of one or more compressed files. If you download a lot of software, you'll run across these all the time.
They are not difficult to work with. You'll need an "unzipping" program in order to access them, something like Winzip or Winrar are both good choices.
Once unzipped, you simply run the install program (if there is one) and you're all set. In fact, Winzip will automatically run the installation program for you if it finds one!
You can download Winzip from:
http://www.winzip.com
You can get Winrar here:
http://www.rarlabs.com/
It is a shareware program, so if you use it you should pay for it. It doesn't have an expiration though, so you can "evaluate" it for as long as you like.
If you have Windows XP or Vista, you don't need a program—just double click a zipped file to open it.
A menu will appear from which you can save individual files to your computer. Just click & drag or copy the file you want and drop it in the desired location. It's that easy!
Also, in the left-hand column there is a link to "Extract all files".
This will open a wizard to guide you through the extraction process. You can choose where you want the files to go, etc.
Did you ever imagine that unzipping file could be so easy?
~ Andrew
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Drop Down History
Have you ever been looking for a page on a particular web site and haven't been able to find it? You may know the site name ( www.sitename.com) but the actual page name eludes you.
Well, with Internet Explorer and Mozilla Firefox, you can type in just the name of the site, like www.worldstart (note you don't really need the ".com" part) then hit your down arrow. A list of all the pages you've visited on the site will be displayed.
Cool huh?
~ Steve
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Lately, it seems like there has been an influx of MP3 player questions here at WorldStart. A lot of you have gotten MP3 players and almost all of you have one specific question: “How do I convert my CDs to an MP3 format?” Well, that is a very good question, so today I have a download for you that will do just that! It's called Free CD Ripper. Let's check it out!
With Free CD Ripper, all you have to do is insert a CD into your computer, click a few buttons and your music will then be in an MP3 format. You can then put all of your favorite songs onto your shiny new MP3 player! Here's what the program looks like:
First, you'll want to pick the place where you want the program to store your music files. To do that, click on Options at the top and then click on the Save and Filename tab. From there, just choose a folder to save the converted music in. (This is a one time step. It is only needed after the program is first installed).
Next, insert one of your CDs into your computer.
After you insert the CD, choose your CD ROM drive from the device menu at the top. Next, on the right hand Output Format box, choose MP3. After that, go ahead and click on the “i” at the bottom of the Free CD Ripper window. That will fill in the track names and the artist's name of the CD automatically. Next, just click Extract.
And you're done. Wasn't that so easy?! You can then go ahead and do the same thing for all of your CDs (or at least for the songs you want to put on your MP3 player). Then just upload them to your media player and you'll be all set. Yes!
You can download Free CD Ripper for yourself right here. Enjoy!
~ Gary
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In today's world, most of us are using a Microsoft Windows operating system. When compared to the other operating systems that are currently available, it seems like the best choice. Similarly, the usage of the mouse is more in Windows than in any other operating system.
If your mouse happens to stop working for a day or two, you would have a really tough time trying to get your work done on your computer. You would have to spend most of your time working with your keyboard, trying to recollect all the shortcut keys and the combination keys to use and all of this would have to be done from your memory. How about something a bit better? Instead, if we have the option of moving and clicking the pointer (cursor) by using the keyboard, wouldn't that be so much easier? Yes, I do believe so!
Windows does have a facility to use on a keyboard that allows you to move the pointer in the absence of a mouse. Interested? Well, then let's see how we can enable this feature and use it.
To enable this feature:
1.) Go to Control Panel.
2.) Select Accessibility option.
3.) From the dialogue box, click on the Mouse tab.
4.) Tick the checkbox of Use Mouse Key.
5.) Click OK to close the Accessibility Options window.
Note: You can also press Left Alt key + Left Shift Key + Num Lock together to open the MouseKeys dialogue box. Then press Enter to keep MouseKeys ON. Press Cancel to keep MouseKeys OFF.
We can also see a small mouse icon on the task bar (when the MouseKeys option is enabled).
Also, make sure your Num Lock key is ON. We can use the numeric pad (the number pad on the right hand side of your keyboard) as MouseKeys, but only if the Num Lock is ON.
So, now you may be wondering which keys you can use to actually move the mouse pointer, right?
Okay, well, we have enabled the MouseKeys feature and have also made sure that the Num Lock is ON. So, now on the numeric keypad, you are going to use the keys:
2, 4, 6 and 8 to move the cursor on the screen toward Down, Left, Right and Up.
To left click (single), press 5.
To right click (single), press – (minus).
To double click (left), press + (plus).
To increase the speed of the pointer movement, double click the mouse icon on the taskbar and select the Settings button from the dialogue box. Now you can increase the speed of the pointer by selecting the Pointer Speed option.
Also, Click to check the box that says, "Hold down Ctrl to speed up and Shift to slow down." Now, if you press the Ctrl key while holding the arrow key, the pointer speed will increase and if you hold the Shift key while holding the arrow key, the pointer speed will decrease.
Note: If you want to use the numbers from the numeric keypad while using the MouseKeys, select the OFF radio button from Use MouseKeys when Num Lock is the option. If you select ON again, the numeric keypad will be used as MouseKeys.
So, from now on, even if your mouse goes bad, you still have options to move the cursor!
~ M. Nagarajan
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A:
Digital images are essentially made up of little "dots". We use DPI (Dots Per Inch) as a measure of resolution. Generally speaking, the higher the number, the higher the resolution and the sharper the picture.
300 DPI is considered (by most of us) to be photo quality. Generally speaking, you won't notice much difference in quality by going higher than 300 DPI. In fact, if an image is being used on the web or for computer screen purposes, then it needs to be 72 DPI, since that's all most computer screens can display anyway.
~Andrew
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Don't you get tired of scrolling through long drop down box lists? I know that I do. I'm gonna show you an easy way to get through them today. I'll illustrate how to do it with an example.
Let's say you're filling out an online registration form that asks for your country. If you live in Australia, you're all set since your country is towards the top. But what if you live here in the US? In some cases we have to scroll through tons of countries (many of which we've never heard of) to get to the entry for "United States."
Well, here's a quicker way. When you get to the box, click the first letter of the item you're hunting for. You'll find that items beginning with that letter start popping up in the drop box. So, when you get to the box, just hit the letter "U" until "United States" comes up. This works with states too! Type "O" and Ohio pops right up!
Yeah! No more scrolling!
~ Steve
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Some users believe that Windows is the best netbook OS. But others - such as Jack Wallen - think Linux is a much better fit. Check out his reasons and see if you agree. (Is this item miscategorized? Does it need more tags? Let us know.)
This download is also available as an entry in our 10 Things blog.
There are some things people do to their laptops that can put them in great danger. One major example is letting their laptop charge for longer than it needs to. Most laptop owners are under the impression that if they leave their laptop on the charger for as long as possible, they'll be able to get more "juice" (power) out of it. And that's just simply not true. In reality, you're just damaging it and putting it at risk of over heating or exploding. Listed below are a few other harmful things you should be sure to keep your laptop away from. Here we go!
*Over charging.
*Not handling it with care.
*Incorrectly replacing its batteries.
*Leaving it turned on for too long.
*Leaving it in a high humidity climate.
*Tampering with the battery compartment.
*Switching to non-manufacturer batteries.
*Refusing to turn it off after it's become extremely hot.
*Trying to repair or reuse a battery that has no more power.
*Using a charger that didn’t originally come with the laptop.
*Charging it in an area around too many other cords (extension cords, for example).
Despite what you might think, over charging your laptop will not give it more "juice." It will only make it hotter. You should also always use the charger that came with your laptop. When your laptop gets too hot, you should turn it off or at least put it into Safe Mode. You need to keep your laptop in a cool area as much as possible. Now, when replacing the battery, you should refer back to the manual that came with your laptop to get the correct instructions for doing so. You should only use batteries that have been approved by the manufacturer as well.
The above guidelines apply to cell phones as well. You should only use the charger that originally came with your phone and once it's fully charged, take it off the charger. Even more, you should only replace the battery with one that has been manufacturer approved and finally, if your phone gets too hot, just turn it off completely. If you follow these rules, I promise your precious devices will last much longer!
~ Tweety Dimes
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Undo - Redo - Undo - Redo... I don't know about you but I find that I tend to use that cycle of events a lot when I'm putting finishing touches on things… especially on one of my "picky" days when everything has to be perfect.
Anyway, it's a great feature and I'm sure that I'm not the only one using it.
However, did you ever find yourself clicking the Redo button only to find that it has been deactivated?
Now, you just finished with an Undo not too long ago, so what happened?
Well, I have just one question: Did you cut (Ctrl + X) anything in between?
If you're answer is yes then that's your problem.
When you actually cut something from a file it clears out the Redo list. Once that list is cleared well… you're just out of luck.
If you haven't made many changes you could close the file without saving, reopen it and start over.
Or you could always do the work to put back all the things that the Redo won't anymore.
Neither one is a great choice so may I just suggest that before you choose to cut something think twice so that you can do the work just once.
~ April
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If you noodle around with MSconfig, Task Manager, or Services.msc you may have seen these words and wondered yourself. Let's see if I can distinguish them for you.
Processes are background programs that run while you're working on other tasks. They are assigned fewer resources than "foreground" programs. When you type Ctrl+Alt+Del it brings up your Task Manager and you can click the "Processes" tab to see what is running and how much memory it uses.
Services are programs, routines, or processes that perform specific system functions. They support other programs. Examples of services include Error Reporting, Help & Support, and Security Center. Some services are not necessary and can be disabled. To view services and their descriptions go to Start/Run and type in "services.msc" (without the quotes).
Here's the confusing part: services do show up in the Task Manager under the "Processes" tab. You'll see a name with "Svc" or "Srvc" in it.
So I guess that in some cases the two terms are interchangeable. The distinction comes with function—if a process supports another program it is a service.
Clear as mud.
~David
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Originally the term "hacker" was used as a compliment in the computer community to denote an expert, especially those who experiment with and use code to improve software and computer performance. In popular usage and in the media, it generally describes computer intruders or criminals.
"Hacking" can be looked at as a collection of skills—like a locksmith's ability to pick locks—it can be used for good or evil.
We realize that the positive definition of hacker was widely used for many years before the negative, and could be considered more authentic. But, we prefer to follow the common popular usage since the positive form is confusing and not likely to overcome the negative connotation. We apologize to all the "good hackers" out there.
~ David
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