Choosing a network connection can be a vexing task, but for some companies and self-employed individuals—especially ones who fulfill Internet-heavy directives on an hourly basis—it may well be the most important business decision you make. Few office difficulties are more frustrating than not being able to connect to the Internet, or having a video stall out or an important email lost in transit, or having an abundance of failed downloads or uploads. That said, there are few silver bullet solutions to acquiring the perfect network connections.

ISP‘s must be carefully compared with the objective required, which is why businesses must consider the needs of their employees, and individuals must consider the kinds of tasks they will be tackling. Here several of the more important factors to consider:

Speed

This is often the first consideration. “How fast does it go?” If all you’re doing is checking your email and browsing the Internet, you will probably be fine with a garden variety dial-up connection. But if you’re like most people and you want to stream music, television shows, and movies, or if you’re planning on multi-tasking and doing all this while also transferring files and running torrents, you’ll need a broadband connection. The most common broadband solutions are a DS3 internet provider, a cable modem, or a satellite service.

Performance

Speed isn’t the only aspect of a good Internet connection, you’ll also want solid, consistent performance. Consider things like the ease with which you get online, the rate of drop-outs, the display of MB and GB-heavy media such as pictures and videos. Will you be hosting large volumes of media? You’ll need more than a dial-up for that.

Price

Price and performance are linked pretty tightly when it comes to Internet connectivity. You’ll need to consider usage limits on data transfers, downloads, uploads and time restrictions. For example, if there are limits to how many hours you can be online or how much data you can download, know this beforehand.

Special Features

Many Internet providers offer additional features such as spam blocking, virus and malware protection, real-time chat services, video conferencing and cloud computing technologies. In the case of cloud services, companies that use a multiplicity of native and automatic platforms like PHP, ASP, Python, and Perl may need shared hosting directories that are streamlined and synchronized. However, many DSL, ADSL, and SDSL broadband services encompass cloud-like solutions.

This is not the end of the discussion. If your network requirements will vastly exceed those of the average Internet user, you’ve still got a Herculean task in front of you: finding the right ISP for your web needs. But starting here, with issues of speed, performance, price, and special features, will put you on the right track. Happy hunting!

What To Consider When Choosing An ISP is a post from: Snakebytez

The History Behind File Transfer Protocol

The idea of FTP was originally conceived over forty years ago, making it one of the oldest methods for transferring files between users. Abhay Bhushan was the original creator and designer of FTP. He developed this method of transferring files in 1971.

The standards and specifications behind file transfer protocol has been updated twice since its creation; the first update came in 1980, while the secondly closely followed in 1985.

FTP has since become one of the biggest and most commonly used methods for transferring files online, especially incredibly large files. However, many wonder why it is still in existence. Considering it was created over forty years ago, it is incredibly outdated compared to the technology and different file transfer methods available in our modern day and age.

FTP will probably continue to be one of the most popular forms of file transfer for many years to come, even so.

Is FTP Safe?

The first and most important detail : This file transfer method was never intended to be secure in the first place. This the biggest concern with FTP, as it is highly important in this day and age to keep files safe and secure; especially when you are in the process of trying to transfer them from one place to another.

When you use file transfer protocol for transferring large files online, you are at risk for a number of security concerns. FTP can leave your files completely unsecure during transfer, allowing hackers to steal them or nose into them. This is especially dangerous when your files contain usernames and passwords. This transfer method can also leave gaping holes in your computer’s firewall allowing malicious attacks to reach your computer very easily. This alone is incredibly unsettling for many computer owners, as they do not want to risk the chance of their computer crashing or their hard drive suffering from brutal melt downs due to Trojans, viruses, and other malicious attacks.

By using FTP, you could ultimately render your computer lifeless, while also losing any valuable files in the process. Conclusion: FTP is a tricky method of file transfer, and it is highly recommended to only use it when necessary, and while on a closed network.

A perhaps better way of transferring large files is via Cloud server. Check out Egnyte’s Online Storage and Cloud Storage with Cloud File Server at Egnyte.com

Transferring Large Files Through FTP Can Be a Risky Venture is a post from: Snakebytez

The best solution for most people is to use one of the free email desktop clients, granting the joy of a usable interface and the many advantages of professional email hosting. Here are five of our favorite email clients.

5. Mulberry

This highly diverse, capable, and powerful client has just about everything you could ever want. It supports all the major email server types, is surprisingly fast for its features, and is stable to boot.

The interface is a tad cluttered and challenging to use, but once you’re past the learning curve you’re sure to enjoy it.

4. Pegasus

Pegasus has been a favorite for many years, and there are dozens of reasons why. Among the more important are its intense security features and well-rounded capabilities.

Its interface is a bit confusing to navigate, and lacks quick-click controls, but the trade-off is well worth it for many.

3. Alpine

If you want something incredibly simple and lightweight, Alpine is the way to go. This Pine based message system is the lightest of the lightweights, and comes with the most basic of features.

It has great customization options for anyone who wants to expand on either the appearance or functionality. For the minimalist, customization-obsessed, or anyone who’s running off very low computer specs, this is the way to go.

2. Opera

Opera allows you to do everything that’s really important, but it also integrates a lovely RSS feed feature. This means that you can import information from any source that puts out a feed of their own, including many stores, sites, and blogs. Opera Mail also features great extras like a “low bandwidth mode” that allows for bonuses like:

• simplified message retrieval
• access to multiple accounts
• offline access to your messages and composition tools
• advanced filtering and organization options
• an adaptive mail system that learns from your habits
• follow/ignore options

The only real downfall is the lack of encryption capabilities and a lackluster HTML editor.

1. Thunderbird

The brief way to describe Thunderbird is that “anything they can do, it can do better.” Brought to you by the same company that brought you Firefox, TB is likely the most secure platform out there. It doesn’t take a hit when it comes to features, either. Thunderbird has a great email editor, an RSS feed, superb organization options, a tight-mesh spam filter, dozens of features, and a user-friendly user interface.

Very few people have found much to complain about within TB. The primary complaints come off more as suggestions on features that could be added, and almost all of the reviews have stated that they’re simply impressed with the platform. For most users, Thunderbird is the way to go.

Professional hosting may seem like an impossibility for those without knowledge or resources, but this information and the items mentioned in it should get you on the road. There are also plenty of other free email clients, so feel free to go out and experiment.

Jessy is a freebie geek, open-source enthusiast and blogger for Life Insurance Finder, the free web-based app to compare life insurance online.

Top 5 Best FREE Email Clients (Windows) is a post from: Snakebytez

The popular websites uTorrent.com and Bittorrent.com has been hacked by cyber criminals. The regular software download was replaced with a fake antivirus program – Security Shield. It’s a scareware program that imitates being a regular antivirus application but in fact has nothing to do with providing good security. Security Shield pretends running a system scan and other functions of the antivirus programs. The real goal of this program is to make computer users purchase this application and get money from them this way.

Users who might have tried to download a program of uTorrent.com have probably received a an alert stating that their system is infected and asking to purchase Security Shield in order to clean your system from infections. Purchasing this fake application is equal to throwing your money to the wind as it doesn’t work not even close to a security tool.

The administrators of uTorrent.com have apologized for their users for this situation and recommended to run a security scan for those who have been trying to get a download of uTorrent.com.

Since uTorrent.com is one of he most popular torrent website it has already gained trust among the users. This attack by cyber criminals was unexpected but, luckily, uTrorrent.com has managed to fix that. Make sure to take care of your computer’s protection. Always have upgraded antivirus and antispyware programs.

Hackers have attacked uTorrent.com is a post from: Snakebytez

The following are three steps to handling this kind of negative feedback on Facebook.

Step # 1 Identify who will respond to negative feedback

Responding to negative feedback is an art, not a chore.  Make sure the person do the responding is up to the task and is able to take the heat.  Naturally, whoever responds to the negative feedback will absorb brunt of the fan’s rage.  Be sure that the person you choose understands this, and doesn’t take things too personally.  

Step # 2 Identify the type of feedback   

Negative feedback comes in a few different flavors.
Straight forward problems: someone has an issue with your product or service.  Maybe their product broke or a representative made a mistake.
Constructive Criticism:  someone gives you tips on how to improve your service.  Usually sent by only the most loyal fans.
Merited Attack: your company, not an individual representative, definitely wronged a fan.  Now that fan is irate.
Spam: Competitors or random businesses launch an attack to promote their own business.
Once you’ve identified the type of feedback, you can start to address the concerns.

Step # 3 Respond based on the type of feedback

Once you’ve identified the type of feedback and who will respond to said feedback, it’s finally time to respond.  Straight forward problems deserve straight forward responses.  Remember, you’re entire fan base is watching how you handle these questions.  Be helpful, even if it’s recommending another service.  Doing so will give your company more credibility.
Constructive criticism should be celebrated.  Thank them for their comment, and feature your response to that comment in a blog post or somewhere prominently on your page.  Remember, the ones who give constructive criticism tend to be your most loyal fans.  If they’ve discovered these issues, then others have discovered them already.  Post your response in a public arena for all to see.
Merited Attacks are a bit trickier to handle.  If a fan is just ranting, it’s best to take the conversation offline.  Tell them that their concern is important to them, and invite them to send you an email for more detail.   If they continue to rant without responding to your messages, then treat the post like it’s Spam—and report them as Spam to Facebook.  Let’s be clear, never just delete a post.  Just deleting the post allows the commenter to comment again.  If you label them as spam, however, they will not be able to comment on your page.

Step # 4 Follow up

After giving your response to negative feedback—particularly if it’s in a public place—make sure you follow up.  It gives the impression that the complaint was an isolated incident, and, most importantly, that your company is doing everything in its power to ensure that this never happens again.
What’s the craziest negative feedback that you’ve ever received?  And how did you handle it?  Are there any other tips you’d give? Let us know in the comments section.  
Cleo Kirkland is a digital strategist at Exec-Comm. He writes on a variety of topics, including social media marketing, search engine optimization, and digital presentation skills training.  Follow him on Twitter @DigitalNino

How to Handle Negative Feedback on Facebook is a post from: Snakebytez

Cost:

The first factor to consider is the costs of each system. In house storage via servers or NAS (networked attached storage) device costs can vary, but often times businesses find that cloud storage is less expensive. Another thing to remember about in house storage – unlike a cloud-based system, in house systems have a limited amount of memory and upgrades can be very expensive. While it may be slightly cheaper to maintain your own storage systems in the long run, cloud storage won’t require you to buy all new storage equipment and software every few years to stay up-to-date.

Also, cloud computing software and hardware is maintained by cloud storage provider, meaning your IT staff won’t necessarily need to waste time managing the back-up systems for your company…and that means your IT staff can focus on bigger projects.

Data Security:

A second key component, and perhaps the most important feature, is the secure nature of data stored on a cloud server. Many of these cloud storage companies contain multiple levels of security for any information that is downloaded onto their servers. They also contain multiple backups for all data so as a corruption at one location will not result in permanently lost data. Contrast these benefits with local storage, where a fire or other physical damage to your office or network room could permanently destroy data.

Remote Access:

Cloud storage offers one more distinct advantage over local storage, remote access. Employees do not need to worry about having files they need on their computer – whether they work at home or from a different office. Also, management can use utilized tiered access to data for all employees in all locations thus allowing sensitive documents to stay confidential. Automatic updates and syncing also means that every member of any project will stay on the same level regardless of their location. Finally, relocating your corporate headquarters won’t result in massive data downtimes for your other branches.

Cloud storage has become a huge industry and a powerful tool for businesses around the world, with major technology companies such as Apple, Google, and Amazon competing to provide cloud storage services. Businesses are benefiting from this competition by taking advantage of secure, affordable, and efficient systems of data storage. Cloud storage is the wave of the future.

Author Jason Lancaster writes for TRCGS.com, the website for TRC Global Solutions, a corporate relocation provider.

Don’t Move Data From Computer to Computer – Move It To The Cloud is a post from: Snakebytez

Twitter

One feature that makes Twitter such a popular form of communication is that it allows the average person to voice their opinion on any given topic. Individuals can also contribute their point-of-view on news stories and important events.

Twitter is designed to be accessible from cell phones. Users can upload text messages from their phones to Twitter via their accounts and inform the world about special events as they occur. They can also tell people about what they’re doing at any given moment. Many businesses use Twitter as a part of their customer care services and to find new clients.

Popular entertainers helped to make Twitter a household name and they rely on its services to keep in touch with fans and to inform them about upcoming concerts, movies and events. Other organizations utilize Twitter to update the public about developing world events or important national news. Many American people have embraced Twitter because of some of the Twitter sponsored events that are offered on the network. “Follow Friday” is one of these events and it is one of the main reasons why people have a Twitter account.

Besides communication, people log onto Twitter in order to try and get other subscribers to follow them. Follow Friday offers the opportunity for Twitter users to meet up with their peers (only online) in order to build up their “fan” base of followers. Follow Friday can be fun, entertaining and challenging, since subscribers are trying hard to obtain followers.

Jack Dorsey, Noah Glass, Evan Williams and Biz Stone started Twitter and they established the network in 2006. These men all worked for a podcasting business named Odeo when Dorsey had an idea about using SMS short code services to communicate with small groups. Noah Glass is credited with naming this project “twttr” which was supposed to have been inspired by another social network named Flickr.

Since Twitter became an independent company in 2007, it processes over 60 million tweets a day and these numbers are still growing.

Twitter is also the third largest social network in the world and is funded primarily by investors and is expected to go public in 2013. This organization also offers online advertisement packages and deals to businesses and companies and acquires revenue from these services.

Do Follow us on Twitter : @Snakebytez

Daniel Blinman is writing on behalf of Marketing By Web; who are a ppc advertising company and offer a ppc management service

About Twitter and its Effectiveness is a post from: Snakebytez

Home security software

The first thing that you should ensure you have is proper internet security software – or antivirus software as it is often called. You should make sure you have internet security up and running at all times and that regular updates are scheduled for the software. Regularly updating your software means that it is equipped to deal with new threats that arise online and that you are less likely to suffer from infection. You should schedule weekly scans of your computer, ensure that your settings allow all downloaded files to be scanned and that your software prevents you from accessing potentially harmful sites.

User control settings

If you have multiple users for your home computer it is worth setting up separate accounts for each member of the family. This way you can tailor the administrative privileges and settings of each user so that you can maximize the internet safety of younger members of the family. Initially you can set up a designated control user by accessing the control panel settings of your system. From here you can create an administrator for the system and give them accessibility privileges. This allows you to designate what files and settings your children can have access to from their user panels and what changes they are authorized to make. This includes options like the ability to install new software or deactivate security software or firewalls. Having these options under parental control goes a long way to ensuring that your children don’t come to any harm when using the internet.

Firewalls

Your firewall is your first line of defense against users attempting to access your computer and you should make sure it is installed and running at all times. A firewall basically blocks anyone trying to remotely access your computer from a third source. People attempt to do this in order to implant spyware and viruses on computers and to steal private information. You want to ensure that your firewall is active and that the administrative user has sole control over its activity.

Parental control software

When your children are at a young age all internet use should be supervised. When they reach slightly greater ages though, you may wish to install parental control software to safeguard them further. This software blocks inappropriate and harmful content from web searches and ensures that your children don’t access content that is inappropriate for their age. Choosing to use parental control software allows you to monitor your child’s online activity and prevent them accessing material that could potentially damage them and the computer itself.

Finally

When setting up a computer for family safety try and keep it in a central location where you can keep an eye on family members using the computer. Also try and guide them through appropriate online behavior and safety techniques and features so that they can protect themselves when your supervision is no longer required.

Jane writes about internet safety for children and parents with a view to help raise awareness about the potential dangers online. For more information on this topic please see http://parents.vodafone.com/ which provides a wealth of information and support.

Setting up your computer for family internet safety is a post from: Snakebytez

Google+ is the hot topic among social media of late, and for good reason. Since its inception just over a month ago, Google+ has 25 million users, a staggering number compared to how quickly it reached the figure as opposed to competitors Twitter and Facebook. But the benefits of Google+ are far more than just another place to connect with friends, new and old. Some of its features can change the online user experience.

Google+ for SEO:

SEO, or Search Engine Optimization, is a way for companies and websites to improve their search rankings and increase traffic through keywords and tags in their content. The +1 feature for Google and Google+ allows you to share stuff you like or find interesting with others. Not to be confused with a like button, Google stores all of your +1’s, whether they are from a post or picture on Google+ or an article from a website relevant to a topic you like. This feature in turn helps businesses as +1’s can be made public to see what friends have +1ed. It also means that ads can be targeted to the user when using the Google search engine. With the removal of Real-time from the search options on Google, +1 appears to be the biggest way of tracking hot topics, news and information through Google’s search engine. It is believed that if a page has been +1ed many times, search ranking for that page will improve.

Google+ for Bloggers:

Google+ also is beneficial for bloggers. Besides being another platform to share posts on your blog, Google+ provides a much more interactive experience for blog owners compared to a Facebook fan page or Twitter account. Circles allows for organizing readers of your blog who are on Google+, which means you can limit your content to just these individuals. Hangouts allows for up to 10 people to video chat. You can post an invite and then debate a recent post on your site or even interview for guest posters through video. Finally, Sparks helps plussers find topics that interest them, and in turn, can lead them to your blog. Google+ lets blog owners share content and it extends it to much more than a link, so readers really do feel like they know the writer typing on the phone or keyboard.

Google+ for Students and Business:

The practical uses for Google+ are out there as well. Besides keeping in touch with others online, many of the features have rewards for colleges and universities, especially online education. For people who take online classes, Google+ allows for collaboration through Hangouts for professors and students. Study groups through Hangouts can also help students who can’t meet physically due to time and geographical constraints. Businesses might also welcome integrating Hangouts as a way to video chat in the workplace. It would help productivity through answering questions via video chat and provide a free platform for meetings with clients out of the area.

Google+ for Security:

There is one other practical use of Hangouts: video surveillance. Now you can track the rooms in your house while you are gone for free through Google+. Create a second Google account and put the new account in its own Circle and start a Hangout with just that Circle. The webcam will still work even if the screensaver is on, but will not keep a watchful eye if your computer is on sleep mode.

With the project still in field trial and less than two months old, the capabilities of Google+ are still being explored and discovered outside of its obvious social functions. Although it is not open for businesses yet, expansion will likely come in due time. Despite its youth, Google+ has already changed the online landscape and how we distribute and view content.

What Google+ Means for SEO, Blogging and Life is a post from: Snakebytez

Because of the massive global reach within the Facebook database, dating online has progressed far and beyond the traditional online dating sites. Within the past five years, ever since Facebook became the undisputed king of social networking, some online dating sites have combined their matchmaking functionality with dating applications that Facebook members can easily download in order to gain access to a whole new range of dating options within the singles market.

Profile snapshot – It all start here!

If you’ve used an online dating site before, it’s not that uncommon to meet people who disguise their real identity by posting out-dated or even fake profile photos. Dating via a Facebook app makes it that much more difficult for those inclined to be mis-leading, why? simply because Facebook apps generally combine your Facebook details within your dating profile thus making it easy for other daters to verify your identity via your wall, existing pictures, or comments other people are making about you. It’s for these very reasons that online dating has lost its stigma, social networking is cool and trendy after all – everyone’s doing it!

Interests and status updates.

To accompany your cheerful profile snapshot should be compelling and interesting profile information for people to read about so those browsing can personally connect with your photo and the information you volunteer about yourself. Do post regular updates, maybe once a day, but refrain from controversial issues such as politics and religion. Avoid ranting about your job, ex girlfriend or anything else that makes you sound like a drama queen. 

Dating apps – start downloading!

There’s various dating apps that are configured with Twitter and Facebook as a means to take the online dating experience to a whole new level. There’s a cool dating app that’s getting plenty of attention called, iWould. iWould allows you to choose up to ten people within your friend’s list that you may consider as a romantic prospect. The ten people you have selected are then automatically cross referenced via their list of friends who have also downloaded the app using sophisticated matching algorithms thus notifying you of any potential love candidates.

Regardless of the fact that technology has entered the dating fray, two people interested in pursuing an offline connection still need to meet face-to-face, and all the technology in the world cannot produce the chemistry needed for a new companionship to unfold. What you can do though, is use technology for virtual dating and online chats to eliminate those you’re not initially attracted to without having to endure dozens of painful dates.

Before agreeing to any offline meet-ups, utilize the power of social networking to further establish the credentials and genuine nature of those you plan to meet up with in real life.

About the author: Matt Fuller writes about a number of topics relating to free online dating sites, social networking and free online dating reviews.

Technology and Cupid: Dating With Social Networking is a post from: Snakebytez