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Sep
25
How do i backup my computer?
Filed Under Help 4 Technology | Leave a Comment
Computer Backup Systems You Can Implement Quickly
By: Joseph Simcic
How can I backup and restore my desktop?
Data loss is inevitable when you don’t have a good backup solution in place. What can cause this data loss?
- Hard drive crashes
- Software malfunction
- Even operator error
Have you ever heard of a software malfunction happening? It happens even on the most secure and pristine computers in the world. Think about putting a computer backup system in place if you want to prevent costly downtime, data and software loss.
Next we are going to discover what your backup options are, what data should be backed up, what types of backup devices can be used, a restore strategy, and why testing is important.
The objective of a backup and recovery plan is to minimize the damage caused by a computer crash, and preserve your valuable software and data. Restoring your computer to its normal operating condition will be your first concern when facing this type of issue.
A common plan used by many computer users is to store all program installation disks including the operating system clearly labeled with serial numbers and necessary installation info in a safe place. As part of your backup program regularly back up your valuable data to another type of storage device other than your main drive where your operating system resides.
This secondary storage can be a CD, DVD, an extra hard drive mounted in your personal computer, or even a hard drive mounted in a hard drive enclosure connected by a USB cable. In the event of a hard drive crash or system failure, you could mount a replacement hard drive and reinstall your operating system with the disks you have already stored in a safe place. Programs could be added all at once or on as needed basis.
The importance of daily backups now becomes apparent. It is of most importance and sometimes obvious to make sure your critical data is included in your daily backup plan. If it is not backed up and it is lost, it is lost forever. You would be surprised how many people forget this important little statement.
When considering your backup and restore options you will need to determine the method of the backup and restore. Another option would be to completely backup the whole system by means of an Image backup. This would include a complete computer system backup bit by bit. Then when the inevitable happens and your system crashes you can restore your computer to the exact state it was at the time of the image backup.
If you value your computer software and data you should implement a computer backup solution that meets your needs. Prepare for the day when you could lose it all because of a computer malfunction. You should be considering a computer backup plan before anything major occurs. Now get going and make something happen.
Don’t become a statistic. Backup your data. Discover how to implement a computer backup system , learn how to backup files, and find out how to protect your data. Joseph Simcic has written this easy to read eBook so that you can download it now and start to backup your files.
Keyword Articles: http://www.keywordarticles.org
Sep
21
10 Tips When Choosing a Web Designer
Filed Under Internet Based | 2 Comments
10 Tips When Choosing a Web Designer by Jon Boon
With the importance of the internet now long beyond debate, it has become imperative to have a strong web presence. One of the best ways of achieving this is through a well branded, professional and user friendly website that will help you to connect with and relate to your present and prospective customers.
Once you have realized your need for a website, the next step is to hire a professional web designer or web developer who possesses the expertise to translate your requirements into an information rich website, leaving you to concentrate on what you do best!
Hiring the right web designer can be a daunting task for those of us who lack the essential insights on what to look for in a good web designer.
Here are some tips that will help you in choosing the right Web Designer / Design Company:
1. Ensure That Your Site Has Quantifiable Goals
It is good practice to spend some time in planning and defining your website’s goals. Having clear and quantifiable goals for your website will help you in highlighting what you want your website to do and what is needed to get it done.
2. Purchase Your Own Domain Name
One of the smartest things you can do is to purchase your website domain name yourself as opposed to getting it done through the web designer. By purchasing your own domain name, you can make sure that you have complete control over your website. Web designers may come and go but the domain control will be yours.
3. Ask For Customer References
While you are in the process of choosing a Web Design Company, ask them for customer references, preferably with numbers you can call. Talking to past customers will help in knowing more about the designers, their expertise, style of working and respect for deadlines.
4. Establish Their Track Record
Building a good website is not a one time affair. To get real value from your website, it must be updated regularly. Hence, it pays to make sure that you can trust your web designer and make sure that they will still be in business years from now.
5. Check Their Designs
A good way to judge a web designer is by looking at websites they have designed recently and seeing if they are in a style you like. Pay attention to factors such as usability, navigation, layout and their potential to be found on the internet.
6. Meet Them At Their Offices
Before making a final decision on the web designer you choose to hire, meet them at their place of work. This will help you to know more about their setup, professionalism and style of doing business.
7. Pay For An Original Design
Never pay a web designer for a template. Not only will search engines penalise you for having non original content but you will have lost the chance to have a unique site developed that truly fits your requirements.
8. Check To See If The Designer Develops SEO Friendly Code & Uses CSS
Simply creating a pretty website is not enough in the midst of so much competition. Good designers understand that for a website to do well, it must be Search Engine Friendly (SEO) and should be designed using CSS instead of tables.
9. Site Should Confirm to Current Legislation
Make sure your website conforms to the current legislation. In the UK this includes the Disability Discrimination Act 1995, the Data Protection Act, the EU Freedom of Information Initiative and the Companies Act 2007.
10. Develop a Marketing Plan
Your web presence is incomplete without a comprehensive SEO and online marketing plan. Remember, your site won’t sell itself!
Jon Boon, is the Marketing Director of Forward Slash Media. Find out how Forward Slash Media can help you design and develop your website next to your business goals.
Article Source: Free Top Paying Keyword Articles
Sep
19
Now, almost everyone has heard of biodiesel, but few know that this environmentally friendly diesel fuel replacement can be made in a corner of a garage, using waste vegetable oil as the main ingredient. One only needs three basic ingredients to make biodiesel: methanol (or ethanol, if you’re a corn lover), oil (new or used), and lye (caustic soda). This article will tell you how to build a simple, straightforward single-tank biodiesel processor out of materials you may be able to round up for free.
Steps
- Gather together the few common items listed under “Things You’ll Need.”
- Assemble the drum.
- Cut a large opening (about half the top) in the top of the steel drum. You may also be able to find a drum with the top already removed.
- Drill a 1.5-inch hole in the bottom of the drum. You will attach a pipe to it shortly.
- Weld the 1.5-diameter pipe in the hole at the bottom of the drum.
- Attach the 1.5-inch brass ball valve to the pipe. This is the drain valve. Brass is not necessary, but it offers the greatest durability.
- Drill a hole in the side of the drum at the bottom, same size as the heater element. You can find heater elements in old hot water heaters or purchase them at a hardware store.
- Fit the heater element properly, making sure it is not touching the side of the drum.
- Wire up the heater element.
- Assemble the chemical mixer.
- Attach one pulley to the rolled steel rod.
- Attach the other pulley to the spindle of the electric motor.
- Weld the propeller to the other end of the rolled steel rod. You can use cheap shelf brackets as propellers.
- Attach the rod, pulley and propeller assembly to one side of the hinge. This will allow you to be able to move the propeller/mixer when necessary.
- Weld a piece of angle iron across the top of the drum. This angle iron (or similar) offers support for the mixing apparatus.
- Weld the unattached side of the hinge to the angle iron so the propeller and rod assembly sits in the middle of the drum. The hinge should swing the propeller and rod back and forth.
- Mount the electric motor on the side of the drum. You should be able to mount the motor directly to the drum without it tipping the drum (unless your motor is from an old Cadillac or something).
- Fit the belt to the pulleys and tighten by wedging a block of wood into the hinge. A tight belt is necessary to mix the biodiesel.
- Fashion a simple wooden measuring stick with 10 litre increments. The measurement stick will aid in processing biodiesel.
Tips
- Think of your single tank processor as a large blender. One can easily make a blender batch of biodiesel, and the processor described above is simply a large rendition of a blender.
- If you don’t have access to a small motor, there are other options. One can use a drill with a propeller in the chuck to mix the biodiesel. There have even been models of single stage biodiesel processors that mount a bicycle on top of the drum, effectively stirring the biodiesel by mounting the stationary bike and peddling away!
- This is just one version of a simple biodiesel processor. You can use other items that you may find cheap or free. The basic idea is that you need a large, durable container, a mixer, and a way to heat the oil while mixing. Use your imagination!
- If you don’t know how to weld, you can fashion a container that uses threaded pipe or industrial adhesives.
- It is essential to have a leak free container to ensure that the ingredients’ proportions are correct and to keep messy vegetable oil from creating a slick out of your garage.
- Consider placing your entire processor on a stand with wheels. This will make your single stage processor portable and adaptable to most any space!
Warnings
- Both ethanol and methanol are highly flammable liquids, and unfavorable conditions may result in flash combustion.
- Lye is a caustic ingredient, and contact with skin–especially wet skin—-will result in severe chemical burns.
- Research how to correctly and safely process biodiesel before making your first batch.
- Make sure that your heating element is never in direct contact with flammable materials. Use the heating element to preheat oil prior to the addition of methanol or ethanol.
- Place your processor in a well-ventilated area. The mixed chemicals will result in fumes that can be hazardous to your health. If the processor is going in a garage or outbuilding, make sure to place the processor near a door or a window that will open.
- Making biodiesel is addictive. Creating your own single stage processor may make you an oil baron.
Things You’ll Need
- 55 gallon drum.
- 1/2 or 3/4 Hp (small) electric motor. An electric drill will also work.
- Two pulleys which produce 250 rpm and a max of 750 rpm at mixer blade. You will not need the pulleys if you use a drill to power the propeller.
- A belt for the above.
- 12 inch rolled steel rod. The rod can also be shorter or longer—it just needs sufficient propellers to mix the contents of the entire drum.
- Two steel shelf brackets (for the blade).
- 1 1/2 inch (38mm) brass ball valve.
- A hinge and a spring to act as a belt tension device.
- 2000-watt electric water heater element. Lesser or greater wattages will simply increase or decrease the time to pre-heat the oil.
- A water heater thermostat.
- 1 1/2 diameter piece of steel pipe 3-5 inches long with male threads on one end.
- Assorted tat: angle iron, wood, screws etc.
Sources and Citations
Sep
18
This article outlines how to build a low-cost solar panel to heat water. It uses components normally available from glazing companies, home improvement and car parts shops.
Steps
- Get a double-glazed unit for the sunlight to pass through. Glaziers and window manufacturers sometimes have scrap units for patio doors or large windows that can be bought very cheaply. Glass with a low-emissivity coating such as Pilkington K glass is ideal.
- Get a single-panel room radiator that is slightly smaller than the glass unit. Scrap yards sometimes have old radiators, or ask a plumber who is refurbishing a central heating system.
- Build a strong wooden box to fit the double-glazed unit. Use 12mm plywood for the back and 150mm x 50mm timber for the sides. Make sure it is deep enough to accommodate 50mm of insulation plus the radiator. The glass should exactly fit the box on three sides but overhang the box on the fourth side so that rain water will drip off the glass when the box is set at an angle.
- If the box will sit on a flat surface build a support so that the box can be installed perpendicular to the sun. In the UK an angle of 35º from horizontal works well.
- Treat the outside of the box to make the wood water resistant.
- Glue aluminum kitchen foil to the plywood inside the box.
- Screw two radiator brackets inside the box to support the radiator.
- Insert a layer of 50mm thermal insulation slabs over the kitchen foil.
- Fit the radiator onto the brackets and drill 20mm holes in the side of the box where the pipes will come out. You can route one pipe inside the box to make both pipes exit the same side of the box if your installation requires it.
- Plumb in the radiator so that two pieces of 15mm copper tube extends 100mm from the outside of the box. Use threaded straight connectors rather than radiator valves to fit pipes that go straight out of the box.
- Spray the front of the radiator matt black using heat resistant paint, such as that used for spraying the radiant parts of coal and gas fires.
- Screw two angle brackets onto the bottom edge of the box and bend them up to stop the glass sliding off the box.
- Run a bead of silicone sealant around the edge of the box and place lengths of electrical tape over the bead so the glass doesn’t stick to it.
- Place the glass on the box and leave the silicon to set. This will create an airtight seal between the glass and the box and increase the thermal insulation.
- Screw L section UPVC strips to the three sides where the glass is flush with the box to prevent rain ingress. 45º mitres on the two corner joints makes a smart finish.
- Get rubber engine hose with an internal diameter of 15mm from a car parts shop and attach it to the 15mm copper tube with jubilee clips. If your hose is slightly too big solder straight connectors onto the ends of the tubes to increase their diameter.
- Finished. You now have a solar panel ready to heat water. In order to have a functioning system you will also need a water tank, a water pump and (if the pump does not run on mains electricity) a photovoltaic panel and control unit to power the pump.
