steadywolfcherryblossom-blog

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End-User Programming Using the Semantic Web

This article outlines future research that is required for the advancement of representation, search, and visualization of information, and at recent and future developments in the use and representation of taxonomies and ontologies, and visualization tools that can aid in their use. Berners-Lee et al (2006) explain the importance of visualization for navigation of information "Despite excitement about the Semantic Web, most of the world's data are locked in large data stores and are not published as an open Web of inter-referring resources. As a result, the reuse of information has been limited. Substantial research challenges arise in changing this situation: how to effectively query an unbounded Web of linked information repositories, how to align and map between different data models, and how to visualize and navigate the huge connected graph of information that results."

A new approach is required to software creation. This approach should involve developers creating software systems that enable users to perform high level programming, and model the problem for which they are the experts. This is an alternative to the provision by developers of modelling solutions that try to provide an out of the box solution that just needs 'tweaking'. Such an out of the box system is impractical considering both increases in complexity of manufactured products, and of software systems themselves. Cheung (2005) writes "there is no single management tool or data exchange format that can satisfy all requirements and overcome all the obstacles involved within a collaborative product development environment". People like to work on their own solutions providing they are computer literate and confident they have domain knowledge that the developers do not possess. Research cited here from others involved in end-user programming seems to confirm this.

Research in the use and visualization of Semantic Web information provides the tools that end-user computing have been lacking until recently. Cheung (2005) explains that "With the development of user-friendly ontology editing software and automatic data exchange functions, the application of ontological approaches to exchange information across the WWW is most likely to be an essential aspect of the next generation of global knowledge management tools.

Horrocks (2002) explains the advantages of moving towards a more formal ontology. This can provide for a new way of enabling end-user programming - with the user editing interactive diagrams. In terms of automated model generation, labelling relationships between objects allows the depiction of a number of aspects of a domain in one model, and with a consistent syntax. Ciocoiu et al (2000) explain how an engineering ontology can be made more rigorous in order to facilitate interoperability. This allows representation of, say, a product structure and its manufacturing processes together. A single node then is the only representation of that node within the model, with all its relationships depicted as arcs emanating/terminating at the node. More expressive semantic descriptions are possible through the use of one of the standard OWL dialects. Protégé has OWL plug-ins available that provide this functionality, together with links to reasoning tools for maintaining and analysing the logical constructs (Storey et al, 2004) and (Elenius, 2005). The University of Victoria Computer-Human Interaction and Software Engineering lab (CHISEL) (2006) has developed Jambalaya (Ernst et al, 2003) for visualization of knowledge and relationships. Ernst et al explain that the "larger ontologies that are being developed quickly exhaust human capacity for conceptualizing them in their entirety", so the visualization tools must assist the user to view the information they need. Researchers at the University of Queensland Australia have developed a hyperbolic browser to display RDF files, this is explained in Eklund et al (2002). Cheung et al (2005) provide an ontology editor for knowledge sharing in manufacturing.

It is also important not to stay limited on one ontology development environment but instead explore how ontologies can be developed using a range of development tools and translated between each where necessary (Garcia-Castro and Gomez-Perez, 2006) are testing this. An important new development is SWRL a Semantic Web Rule Language Combining OWL and RuleML and its use in modelling. This could be of use for formally specifying the construction of equations and rules in a model and the relationships and constraints between items represented in an equation. Miller and Baramidze (2005), Horrocks et al (2003), and Zhang (2005) explain the SWRL language. Horrocks et al talk of defining properties as general rules over other properties and of defining operations on datatypes, this research could assist in providing a visual rule and equation editor. An editing facility to model these equations and constraints, so that errors could be prevented, would improve the usability of future visual modelling systems. Support for SWRL in Protégé (Miller and Baramidze, 2005) will assist with the construction of a modelling system with sophisticated editing of rules.

A future task to be undertaken would be the inclusion of uncertainty in the automatically produced models, for situations where accurate information cannot be provided for the model. This would require provision of a way of handling uncertainty for parameters within the ontology, e.g. as 3 values describing a triangular distribution rather than a unique absolute value. The decision support meta-program could be expanded to write out the code to run Monte-Carlo sampling, hence making use of the statistical uncertainty capability. Miller and Baramidze (2005) examine efforts to develop mathematical semantic representations above the syntactical representations of MathML. this effort should make it possible for standardisation of representation of mathematical expressions that relate nodes, and their values and expressions, to each other. Constraints could then be added to prevent invalid mathematical expressions. Miller and Baramidze also explain their research in Discrete-Event Modelling Ontology (DeMO) for simulation and modelling. This uses OWL to define a simulation and modelling class hierarchy. It would be very useful to create an example to demonstrate this with a practical model to test the use of this ontology.

It would be interesting and useful to create an environment where people could use example models and evaluate their usability and usefulness. This could follow a similar model to that used for the development of open source software or collaborations such as Wikipedia (2007), and the Semantic Web Environmental directory SWED (2006). Testing of usability for collaboration is complex and (Johnson et al, 2003) explain how this requires interdisciplinary expertise from several fields. Semantic Web research also requires an interdisciplinary approach as explained by Berners-Lee et al "Understanding and fostering the growth of the World Wide Web, both in engineering and societal terms, will require the development of a new interdisciplinary field." A project such as this can bring together people with diverse backgrounds, interests and expertise. Cheung et al (2007) make the point that open source development can avoid vendor lock-in, eliminate unnecessary complexity, give freedom to modify applications, and provide platform and application independence. Johnson (2004) has developed more sophisticated ways of understanding and providing for complex human activity and testing the success of this.

It could be possible to extend the semantics used in the specification of models to allow the creation of a framework for simulations. Lacy and Gerber (2004) examine how OWL can be used to aid modelling and simulation. Because the ontology uses open standards, these simulations could be made broadly available on the web. It is important that the necessary infrastructure is created to allow this facility to be added. The approaches of others to this problem have been examined. Page (1998), Page et al (2000) and Page and Opper (2000) examine the nature of web-based simulations. Miller et al (2001) explain the technology behind web-based simulations, and argue the need for demonstrating the application of web-based simulations for major projects. Fishwick and Miller (2004) examine the use of ontologies for modelling and simulation. The authors were involved in the RUBE project that developed a system for battle simulations, illustrated in Fishwick and Miller (2004). The RUBE project uses open standards and Protégé for the ontology, and outputs some code automatically. Kuljis and Paul (2001) evaluate progress in this field of web simulation. They argue the need for web-based simulations to be focussed on solving real-world problems in order to be successful. Kim et al (2002) explain how techniques of generating executable code from documents specified in standardised XML can be used to create simulations.

Reed et al (2000) examine possibilities for improving the aircraft design process with web-based modelling and simulation. Simulations could also be used for optimization and Chen and Yücesan (2001) investigate this. So web based simulation is an area of research worth exploring. The use of process models can allow accurate manufacturing times to be generated. This requires dynamic models of factories, cells and processes. Also it is necessary for users of a system to be able to gather information from various computer systems such as databases and spreadsheets. There is a conflict between the aim to develop an ideal representation of knowledge using an ontology editor, and the practical need to edit the data in the database or application it is currently held in. The research examined has undertaken so far, prototypes ways of creating information and of finding it. Other researchers such as Aragones et al, (2006) and Crapo et al (2000) and (2002) have also investigated this problem.

Shim et al (2006) discuss user interface issues for this kind of problem, they investigate techniques for "powerful, yet simple user interface designs that enable interactive queries, reporting, and graphing functions". They also examine end user computing history - "The evolution of the human–computer interface is the evolution of computing. The graphical user interface (GUI) that was refined at Xerox, popularized by Macintosh, and later incorporated into Windows". Recent developments in the use of Meta languages for platform independence should make the development of end-user programming quicker and easier. Bishop (2006) explains current problems "The current practice is for GUIs to be specified by creating objects, calling methods to place them in the correct places in a window, and then linking them to code that will process any actions required. If hand-coded, such a process is tedious and error-prone; if a builder or designer program is used, hundreds of lines of code are generated and incorporated into one's program, often labeled 'do not touch'. Either approach violates the software engineering principles of efficiency and maintainability." The author investigates, evaluates and advocates the use of platform independent programming languages.

The solution to these problems involves programming with Semantic Web languages rather than just using them for information representation. This will make translation for interoperability easier and more reliable, and further improve the maintainability of software systems.

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iPhone Repair ASAP

A professional iPhone repair singaore service can be found in most major cities and in many of the smaller ones also. You can do an online search to find an iPhone repair that is near to you. You do have to take that iPhone into the shop. Or as an option you could mail it to them but it makes more sense to actually take it in your self. You may have to do without it for at least 24 hours. You just have to choose a repair shop that does repairs to iPhones. Some places specialize in them whereas others can repair most models of cell phones including the iPhone. If you have an iPhone 4 you may have to find one who has a lot of experience on this generation iPhone. When you take it in they will ask what is wrong with it and if you know then tell them. But they will still hook it up in their shop to check it out for all of its functions.

There are lots of things that can go wrong with an iPhone 4 that you may find you need to look for an iPhone repair store nearby. You may have a LCD screen that begins to bleed colors into each other or one that the liquid crystals begin to get green or another color for a weird screen effect. Generally you can still use your iPhone until you can get that screen replaced unless you have dropped your iPhone and the screen cracked or broke but if your cell phone hit the ground hard enough to break the screen then you may have to get your entire iPhone repaired or replaced.

There are other things that can break on the iPhone 4. For example the battery may go out on it. It has a rechargeable battery but that does not mean that the battery won't always recharge. It may wear out or have other problems with it. The battery is not meant to be replaced by the owner but it is designed to be taken into a repair shop or in the manufacturers opinion taken back to the Apple iPhone store for a replacement battery or if at the Apple iPhone store they may talk you into getting a new iPhone currently probably the iPhone 4.

An iPhone repair store won't try to sell you a new phone unless you really need one and your cell phone is not repairable. But these repair store techs are really amazing and can repair almost every problem.

Some of the other problems that may affect an iPhone are that since they are heavily used for many applications they are subject to being dropped, run over by a car, or even eaten by the dog. Some of these can be repaired but some like if the dog has thoroughly chewed up the case and got his fangs into the circuit board then you may not be able to do anything but get a new phone.

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How to Find the Best Digital Marketing Agency

In order to find the best digital marketing agency, first, we need to understand "what is digital marketing", "will digital marketing benefit your business" and answer the question "how do I get more leads for my business?" - which should be the purpose of any marketing.

What is a Digital Marketing Agency? The dictionary definition of Digital marketing is the marketing of products or services using digital technologies, mainly on the internet, but also including mobile phones, display advertising, and any other digital medium. So simple to summarise in one sentence, yet it can be a complicated process to get right and to ensure that all of your digital marketing is working together, not as silo activities. This is where the expertise and experience of the best digital marketing agencies can be hugely beneficial.

Traditional advertising, newspapers and paper directories, such as Yellow Pages, are increasingly less effective for businesses. Whilst a few years ago people would go to a computer to search for a product or service, nowadays people are connected to the internet all day, every day and "live online". Looking for information, a product or service is as quick and simple as searching on a laptop or computer at work or picking up their mobile telephone or tablet. Digital marketing focuses on getting your information, products and services in front of people when they are looking online. The best digital agencies understand the buying process of your products and services and ensure that your information is prominent to the potential customer at the appropriate time. In the digital marketing world, the various stages of the buying process i.e. research, consideration and purchase are called "micro-moments" and the very best digital marketing agency will present the relevant information, service or product at the targeted time in the buying process.

Whilst some digital marketing agencies will also create and manage traditional advertising or business marketing, such as newspaper advertising, specialist digital marketing agencies will concentrate on online marketing as opposed to "marketing companies" who commonly concentrate on TV, radio and print marketing.

Regardless if your business is business-to-business (B2B) or business-to-consumer (B2C), digital marketing can be a fast, often instant, and reliable way of getting leads into your business and driving up revenue. The very best digital marketing agencies will manage all of the digital advertising based on return on investment (ROI) ensuring the leads generated are at a cost that makes business sense and increases profit levels. Digital marketing will benefit your business and answers the question "how do I get more leads for my business"?

Digital marketing, sometimes referred to as website marketing, can be broken down into a number of important features and services:

SEO Services Search engine optimisation, most commonly abbreviated to "SEO", is the process of getting your website found on search engines like Google when people make a search relevant to your business, services or products.

Regardless if your website is e-Commerce or selling services it will drive leads and sales into your business if it is found for the search terms people use (often referred to as "keywords") to look for them in Google.

SEO requires experience and understanding of how Google reads your website. What messages and information you want Google to read for a webpage or website and knowing where to place that information so search engines can find it. A good SEO company will have a proven track record of ranking websites high in the search results.

SEO works best when the proven methods of obtaining rankings are applied in conjunction with latest trends that are driving traffic. An example of this is the "near me" phenomenon, which has seen a 150% growth in the last 12 months, where mobile phone users are adding "near me" to their search query i.e. "SEO Company near me". These customers are looking to buy and buy from a local service or product supplier.

Although SEO can be a stand-alone service, it is most effective when combined with PPC, social media and reputation marketing. SEO is also the cornerstone of effective PPC, social media and reputation management campaigns.

Pay Per Click Pay Per Click (PPC) often referred to as "Google Advertising" or "online advertising" is where you position adverts at the top of the search results for specific search terms. These search terms can be the words people use when in the "research" phase of making a purchase or targeted at the "buying keywords" when potential customers are looking to buy.

Although your advert, depending on your budget, can be shown every time a search is made, you only pay when an internet user clicks on your advert and is taken to your website or calls you direct from the search results page meaning you only pay when you get a click from a potential customer hence the name for this form of marketing of Pay Per Click (often abbreviated to PPC).

How much you pay for each click is determined by a few factors. The "cost per click" (abbreviated to CPC) is determined by the quality and relevancy of the advert to the search term being used and the relevancy of the page on your website that the potential customer land on. These factors contribute to your overall "quality score". The higher your quality score, the less you pay per click and less you pay per lead into your business.

In the UK, Google has the vast majority of search traffic and most of your budget should be placed their, however, you will not want to miss the smaller, yet still considerable potential for customers from search engines like Microsoft's Bing platform, and a small part of the budget should be allocated to other search engines. Also, the very best PPC management companies will also discuss spreading your PPC budget over a number of campaigns aimed at different parts of the customer journey. A small part of the budget should be allocated to the research stage of the buying process when people are using broad search terms to find information, a small part of the budget when people are searching for yours, your competitors or market leaders company name. The majority of the budget when potential customers are using search terms directly related to making a purchase and lastly, a small part of the budget to re-market (show your advertising to people who have shown an interest in your services or products by visiting your website) to capture and drive up conversions from the customers previously advertised too.

The best PPC Agency will be a Google Premier Partner. A Google Premier Partner status indicates that the company has a proven track record in delivering high-quality campaigns, which generate good competitive/low CPC's and deliver high and positive ROI's. The very best PPC agency will have a robust PPC management process in place to quickly react and capitalise on changes in the PPC campaigns of your competitors.

Unlike SEO, that can take some time to be fully effective, Pay Per Click is instant in the fact that as soon as your campaigns are live they can be generating leads for your business.

PPC is highly effective when carried out in unison with SEO. A well-optimised website will improve the quality score of your Google advertising campaigns resulting in a reduced "cost per click" meaning you get more leads for your budget.

Social Media Marketing Social Media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter are now legitimate places for a business to attract leads. Facebook has over 38 MILLION active and regular users in the UK and the number is anticipated to rise to over 42 MILLION by 2020. Regardless if your business sells to consumers or other businesses, your potential customers are on Facebook and using it often.

Facebook is excellent at raising awareness during the customers "research" stage, reminding them of your services or products during the "consideration" stage and putting your specific products in front of potential customers at the "buying" stage. With such a large audience and the flexibility to target customers throughout the buying process, Facebook can be a good avenue to generate leads and sales and to deliver a great return on investment.

A good digital marketing agency will have a proven track record in delivering highly effective Facebook advertising campaigns. The very best digital marketing agencies will be able to demonstrate the conversion rate and cost per lead of your social media marketing.

Again, social media marketing and specifically Facebook marketing can be carried out as a stand-alone activity however it works so much better when combined with SEO and/or PPC. When a potential customer visits your website their computer is marked as having visited. This then allows you to target the user of that computer, who has shown an interest in your products or services.

Reputation Management When considering making a purchase, a potential customer will scour the internet to find feedback and reviews from previous customers. Your online marketing and sales can live or die by the reviews for your business, services or products. Ensuring that positive reviews are easy to find and that any negative feedback is managed well, can be a huge benefit to your conversion rate.

Digital marketing companies call this "reputation management" or "online reputation management" however, in reality, it is creating systems to generate customer reviews and customer feedback ensuing positive customer satisfaction is captured and easy to find for potential customers.

Many businesses are concerned with allowing the public the ability to openly provide feedback. You cannot please all of the people all of the time, and companies worry that a bad review will have a negative impact on their business. Firstly, if someone is determined to leave a bad review for your business they will find a platform to do so and there are 1000's of platforms to choose from. It is better to have control of where customers are encouraged to leave a review. Secondly, a poor or bad review, if managed well, can be a positive for your business. Engaging with a bad review highlights that you care about feedback and subsequently, you care about your customers. One well managed bad review can be as good for your business ten good reviews.

A good digital marketing company will use one of the handful of recognised review platform and provide the tools and means of allowing you to capture, manage and respond to customer reviews.

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Learn to Protect Your Site By Communicating in the Language of Robots

If you are a website owner, you know the reasoning behind that question. No, we are not talking about physical robots in general, but rather the language of robots. Anyone that is familiar with the famous Google robot – Googlebot, knows how important it can be to be able to understand the language of robots to help protect your website. Not everyone though, is at savvy in the language art of speaking robot.    It can be intimidating to some website owners when thinking they have to learn to effectively use the language, but there are tools available to help the lesser robot savvy communicators. Most of us have probably employed the services of messenger chat bot to protect sections and parts of our websites that we don’t want invaded. Those that are familiar with using the robots.txt language can simply fire off a file to him and he will always deliver what we need. But if you are unsure of your abilities in the art of speaking robot, there is something that can help you.There is a new Webmaster tool available that acts as a translator or robot.txt files. It helps you build the file to use, and all you have to do is enter the areas you do not want robots to crawl through. You can also make it very specific blocking only certain types of robots from certain types of files. After you use the generator tool, you can take it for a test drive by using the analysis tool. After you have seen that your test file is ready to go, you can simply save the new file on the root directory on your website and sit back. When creating and using the robots files, you should consider the following two tips:1.    Robot text files are not always supported on all search engines – Googlebot and some other robots can understand the files, but other robots may not be able to understand the generated files.2.    Keep in mind that robot text files are only a method of asking that your site be protected from robots crawling. You simply generate the file, but to some robots who are not as scrupulous as others, they can choose to ignore the file and get in. Make sure you use the password protection option to protect what files you need blocked.This can be a great tool for those who are not as confident in their robot language skills, and can create a safe haven for the files on your website you need protected from unsavory robots. It can substantially help you in your quest to protect your website and files within by helping you generate the file in the correct format to the robot. As always, there are options out there if you need further guidance, you can check out the help center for Webmaster tools or seek answers from a help group of Webmasters.

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Benefits of Cloud Technology

Benefits of Cloud Technology

In the IT world, cloud computing is fast evolving from a future solution into a viable alternative for many small to medium-sized businesses. For a growing business, one of the most difficult things to do is to keep capital expenditures under control. Cloud computing is a way to access enterprise-grade IT that would otherwise be too costly to purchase and maintain.

The following is a brief list of some of the benefits of cloud computing:

1. Cost Savings

In the present economy, businesses need low cost and high production. Cloud solutions is a step in that direction. It reduces expenses without losing productivity. With the cloud, there are no upfront investments for hardware or software. Because the cloud platform is utility based, you only pay for what you use. Cloud services can save you time and money as well as give you a competitive advantage.

2. Access to your Data - Anytime, Anywhere and with Any Device

The users can access their data and applications from any device, anytime and anywhere in cloud computing technology. Because data is accessed over the internet on your cloud provider's servers, management and employees have 24/7 access wherever and whenever they need it. The cloud allows a user to access their vital business information while a person at a hotel, business meeting, on vacation or working in remote area as long as they have an internet connection.

3. Scalability

Scalability is the major reason for which companies move their business smoothly. There are some seasonal business processes that go through periods of extreme activity, but then this activity slows considerably when the busy season is over. Cloud-based services can expand as a business needs the resources.

4. Security

The cloud technology is secure from hackers, accidents and bugs. It can easily afford all types of defensive measures like filtering, patch management and cryptography techniques. Cloud technology protects your data and maintains you as a long term customer.

5. Levelling the playing field

Cloud computing have a significant role for levelling the playing field between large and small companies with a "pay-for-what-you-use" model. Small to medium sized companies no longer need to shell out big bucks in order to buy IT infrastructure that is comparable to large companies. Now they can just rent what they need in the cloud.

6. Management control

The cloud based technology helps to enable managers for better monitoring in their company and with their employees. The managers can access information what their employees are working and he can evaluate the work much quicker with more efficiently. Cloud based applications make it much easier to extract the right information at the right time.

7. Greater Functionality, Efficiency and Innovation

With cloud computing technology you don't need to wait for years for the next upgrade. You can start running new applications within days or even hours.

8. Disaster Recovery and Backup

With the help of cloud technology you can store your company's data safely on secure data centers instead of your server room. While losing power due to hurricanes, earthquakes or a construction worker cutting the power lines, you are back at work as long as you have an internet connection.

9. Simplicity

Removing the need to buy and configure new hardware and software allows your employees, and your IT department, to concentrate on the tasks that will directly increase your profits and grow your company.

10. Flexibility

Cloud computing helps your business to choose only what your company needs, when you need it. You can select a CRM tool, select the intranet as your platform, purchase an email marketing tool, a financial services tool or a host of other options for you company.

11. The Future

In the present scenario most of the companies fight for market share within their industry, and as they search for opportunities that give them a competitive advantage, cloud computing is quickly becoming the technology choice for small to medium sized businesses.

12. Enhanced Capability

Cloud computing can help you better manage reduce your environmental impact and creating more time for ICT staff to focus on critical projects.

We also know that highly-secured data storage and access control are crucial for governments. This is why we are designing cloud computing services to meet and exceed internationally-recognized standards.

13. Device and location independence

Device and location independence enable users to access systems using a web browser regardless of their location or what device they use. As infrastructure is off-site and accessed via the Internet, users can connect from anywhere.

14. Business continuity

Protecting your data and systems is an important part of business continuity planning. For access your data quickly, it allows you to conduct business as usual, minimizing any downtime and loss of productivity.

15. Collaboration efficiency

Collaboration in a cloud environment gives your business the ability to communicate and share more easily outside of the traditional methods. If you are working on a project across different locations, you could use cloud computing to give employees, contractors and third parties access to the same files.

16. Access to automatic updates

Access to automatic updates for your IT requirements may be included in your service fee. Depending on your cloud computing service provider, your system will regularly be updated with the latest technology.

17. Software as a Service (SaaS)

SaaS is the most common form of cloud computing for small businesses. You can access internet-hosted software applications using a browser, rather than traditional applications stored on your own PC or server.

18. Maintenance

Maintenance of cloud computing applications is easier, because they do not need to be installed on each user's computer and can be accessed from different places.

19. Multi-tenancy

The multi-tenancy feature offer by cloud computing enables sharing of resources and costs across a large pool of users.

20. Almost unlimited storage

When you store information in the cloud, you get to access unlimited storage capacity. For this reason, there is no longer a need for you to worry about running out of storage space.

21. Quick deployment

Cloud computing allows you to benefit from quick deployment too. The moment that you opt for this method of functioning, your entire system can be fully functional in a matter of a few minutes. However, there still remains the fact that the amount of time required here will depend on the sort of technology that you require.

[steadywolfcherryblossom-blog]

Repairing Laptops

"Have a look at this" my work colleague says. On a wooden pallet there would have been at least thirty laptops. The company had decided to throw them away. Christmas had come all at once, but alas it wasn't to be, not quite anyway, all the hard drives had been removed together with their saddles. Hmm. So I picked what I thought were the best and repaired those. The profit margins are small if any in this kind of activity, but for an enthusiast or someone who wants a working inexpensive laptop it is feasible. So how is it repaired?

Unlike PCs laptops have 2.5 inch drives with lots of different connections. The drives are more expensive per gigabyte than their 3.5inch counterparts and so care needs to be taken when buying a new drive. Research the subject. Use the model number of the computer and match this to available drives on eBay of other reputable sellers. Remember that the connections in laptops are varied and that it is most likely that one drive of a laptop will not fit another. Compounded by the fact that some require extra adapters to work.

So the drive is ready to be inserted. What holds it? A saddle or bracket is necessary. Easily available over the net or your local computer store. It is essential that it be held firmly or else there is the risk that the pins will break. It's possible to fix the drive firmly on some laptops with homemade articles and it should still work but it will not look very professional. It all depends on what the machine is meant for and how much your willing to spend to restore it.

Assuming the new drive complete with saddle is properly inserted the last remaining feature is the operating system. Since the laptops had their drives removed and most likely destroyed.A new operating system is required. At this point questions might be asked as to whether it is worth doing from a financial point of view. An operating system like XP is an extra cost. Is it still worth while to repair? Yes it is. Use Ubuntu as an operating system. It is a free system available for download over the net. It has some drawbacks such as the playing of DVDs because of legal restrictions but in many other ways it works perfectly. It plays YouTube videos, burns cds, and comes with games and office operating software. It is a great open system for those who wish to operate a machine for general browsing, basic games and office products.

There is one element of the Ubuntu system that is different from the windows system and that is the way that it is set up. Windows has the software as a complete unit when purchased while Linux Ubuntu requires a download for certain systems to operate. The typing in of code at the terminal could be a bit "off putting" for some that require downloads but that is reasonable considering the system is open source.

With discarded items there is always the possibility that there might something badly wrong with the machine. In the above case it was a company that simply decided to upgrade all machines whether working or not. Check the machine first before investing in hardware to repair. Use a boot disc to check the screen, RAM motherboard and battery. Only then decide whether its worth while to repair and use.

Click the link to know more: PC dreams.

[steadywolfcherryblossom-blog]

How Much to Pay for SEO Services?

The question comes up often. Many people have been burned by SEO Services, but many have also been rewarded by SEO Services. Like any business transaction or purchase you should only spend your money when you feel comfortable. Your comfort zone should pull from various dependencies, such as how well do you know this business, how long have you been doing business with this person or entity, what is your first impression, how do you personally feel about this person or entity ability to provide this service, and how well have you done your homework.

The truth about SEO services singapore  is that it is normally not hard work, but that doesn't mean its easy. It still takes time, dedication, effort, strategy, technique, method, skill, and experience to perform quality SEO services. Anyone can use SEO services because it is within your reach to learn, but not everyone can apply sensible strategy to make SEO work. That is why SEO engineers are needed to accomplish the almost impossible, but the question is how do you know you are making the right choice and not overpaying for SEO services?

I can honestly say for the most part SEO service providers are on the up and up who want nothing more than to do professional business and provide quality SEO services. Identifying every shady SEO service may not be possible, but I have some recommended advice which should help anyone get a fair and quality rate for SEO services.

- Set yourself a "realistic" marketing budget and goal

- Shop around

- Don't buy until you feel comfortable

- Remember "cheap does not always mean better"

- Ask for references / referrals / portfolio

- Verify references / referrals / portfolio

- Ask for statistical growth and progress reports

Set Yourself a Realistic Marketing Budget and Goal

This simply mean do not kid yourself and think you can pay $200 and overnight you will make thousands. Instead, create a budget depending on your marketing needs, competitive industry, projected outcome, and length of time. If you are looking for your website to rank in the Top 10 search engine result page for a particular keyword or keywords then expect to pay in the thousands, often times tens of thousands, for quality, professional, and reliable SEO services, almost always depending on the competitiveness of the keyword. If you want to rank in the top 10 for the keyword "Google", this in most cases impossible, but I am sure there are some SEO companies who will accept the challenge, but will charge in the thousands if not millions to attempt this insane marketing goal.

Shop Around

Find the most appealing SEO services and compare those to other competitive SEO services. Don't settle for "cheap" or "inexpensive", but settle for "effective" and "strategy". Anyone can do SEO work, but not everyone can improve results using SEO services. This is because, SEO is about technique and strategy. It's not about just throwing thousands a links around the web and sitting back waiting for the explosion. Its actually a lot more complicated than that, as it is about having strategy, technique, and competitive edge. You must find SEO services which live by this principle and can offer you the strategic road map you need for success.

Don't Buy Until You Feel Comfortable

You should always feel comfortable with entrusting your money into an SEO service provider paws. If you have special needs such as you want to sign a contract, you want a specific pay schedule, or you have any questions, make sure you get answers and are comfortable with the projected outcome then move forward. I personally suggest getting a contract which outlines the projected outcome and any other bullet points, then also exploring the consequences or possibilities if the projected outcome is not met.

Remember "Cheap Does Not Always Mean Better"

This is a buyer beware notice. When someone offers $20 SEO services or even $200 SEO services, I would say "buyer beware". There may be a handful of highly skilled SEO providers who can offer you SEO services at a discount or for extremely low rates, but most of the time these providers either do not know their service worth or know exactly what they are doing, but may have had a lucky streak. You will have to pay top dollar or aggressively, yet still affordable for quality, strategic, and experienced SEO services. SEO engineers is what I like to call them. These are SEO's who understand the SEO concept, who pioneer SEO methods, and who don't always follow the trend, but know the trends.

Most of the SEO engineers are not going to be cheap, but well worth every dollar spent. If you take into consideration other marketing and advertising platforms, such as television broadcast advertising, print advertising, large tradeshow/fair booth advertising, etc. internet marketing and search engine optimization cost peanuts compared to these other advertising methods and have a farther audience reach. SEO services can easily cost between $5,000-$25,000, it can even be much more than this, depending on your needs, but this is far more inexpensive and cheaper than other advertising platforms. So, next time you think that SEO service cost too much, think about the other methods of advertising and their rates, along with return on investment (ROI). SEO services come out on top every time when compared against these other advertising platforms.

Ask for References / Referrals / Portfolio

Any SEO service provider should be able to point you to their qualifying work. SEO service providers should be able to present you with affectionate websites which they have performed SEO work on. This can even be the SEO service provider personal website, they should be able to point you to their rankings in the search engine as well as some result driven SEO work within the site or across the web.

Verify References / Referrals / Portfolio

Verifying information is not always easy or accomplishable. You should attempt to reach out and verify what you can. If a shady SEO business was going to scam, then I am sure this is where they would start, with testimonials. I suggest verifying what you can, but don't get overwhelmed with referrals because it may be the shady SEO business giving self praise. I actually have some good verification tips, but that's another article all within itself.

Ask for Statistical Growth & Progress Reports

The SEO service campaign should include periodic progress/performance reports so you can track your website progress. Tracking your website progress is important in many ways. First, it tells if the SEO engineer is doing their job. Second, it tells you if the SEO methods, strategy, and technique is working or not. Third, it tells you how well the search engines are reciprocating your SEO efforts. And lastly, it tells you how much progress is being made and at what rate. All of this advanced reporting information and trend tracking can give you an overview of your website potential while giving you the opportunity to design or redesign your landing pages to increase your return on investment (ROI).

Okay, to wrap it up, just be sure you stay out of shabby internet neighborhoods and when making any online transaction, do your homework first. Also, remember "cheap does not equal better". Think about it, would you rather pay in the thousands to one SEO company for quality SEO work, which will produce results and increase your website overall performance or would you rather pay cheap $200 to many different SEO's who don't ever really give you the results you deserve. If an SEO engineer can increase your website sales and exposure by 80% without your site ever reaching the top 10 search results then you still got a good deal. This is the effect of skilled and experienced SEO services. The only difference between your website and the websites in the top 10, is those websites have SEO engineers working for them who understand SEO.

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iPhone 3G Parts Replacement

Lusting after an iPhone but just can't fit it into the old budgeting scheme? Well, look on the bright side, by waiting awhile you've missed out on the ridiculously long release-date lines and the astronomically high prices. On the downside, still no iPhone. However, the chances are you probably know someone who did stand in that line, who is about ready for a new phone. When it comes down to having an iPhone or not, dealing in used merchandise is not so bad! Even if a friend has a busted or damaged iPhone, considering offering a reasonable price and fixing it up yourself with an iPhone 3G parts replacement. With the rate at which owners are shipping these things off to authorized service centers and paying too-high repair prices, it's rewarding to make it a DIY project.

After located said friend, or guy online, or friendly networking website contact with an iPhone in need of repair, it's time to figure out what needs to be replaced. By going online it's easy to find any and everything you might need for a successful iPhone 3G parts replacement. From touch panels, to LCD screens, batteries, plastic covers, antenna covers, replacement SIM card trays, chargers, home button modules, circuit boards, speaker modules, antenna circuits, and ear piece/receiver modules, it's all available for sale for extremely reasonable prices. With all of the how-to sites available these days, there's no need to undergo an iPhone 3G parts replacement alone, just search for the repair that needs to be made and presto, instant online tutorials. Even if you're not the technological type, consider it a learning experience. Buying used and/or slightly damaged iPhones allows a little extra elbowroom when meddling with expensive electronics. Due to the high authorized service center repair prices, owners think they better ditch the old phone for whatever they can get for it. Hello new iPhone.

If in need of a more specific tool kit, never fear. Also available are a wide range of professional iPhone and iPod tools assembly and repair kits. Maybe one little iPhone repair could get you a little extra business. Nobody ever disliked a little extra cash. Bottom line, these kits are extremely affordable, and a must-have for any iPhone owner, especially an iPhone owner who is attempting an iPhone 3G parts replacement solo. Obviously, the iPhone is not going out of style. One wouldn't buy a car without also purchasing a tool kit. The fact of the matter is in this day and age there really is no downside to learning how to fix one's own electronics. Think of the benefits to your pocket, alongside the benefits to the planet. With over 4 tons of consumer electronic waste leaking toxic chemicals into our groundwater every year, it might not hurt to put a little reuse and recycle policy into our MP3 devices, laptops, computers, digital cameras, iPhones, cell phones, and more.

It's likely that at some point in its lifetime an iPhone 3G parts replacement will be necessary; probably the battery, case or screen or other internal parts. Don't get discouraged, get used or wholesale iPhone parts online and get back use of your phone.

From logic boards to LCD screens to back covers, has everything you need to get your phone back in great shape. With a full line of iPhone repair..

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Mac Support

Congrats on joining the Mac family! But now, you need to learn a whole lot about using your new Apple computer. Apple support is helpful but is limited by the company's guidelines.

Mackeeper's Geek-on-demand is what you need to use! Mackeeper have 24/7 support center running, so that you can make the most of your Mac. To avail of this service, you need to have Mackeeper installed and have a Mackeeper account. All of Mackeeper's functions have clear video instructions and you shouldn't have any problems understanding the workings of the same.

Should you have any Mac related issue, you can either call the 1-800 number, send them a mail or schedule a call. The support engineer also has the ability to initiate a remote session and clear out the problem, if required.

I was helping out a friend with a.kext issue on his Mac and was unable to get any suitable solutions. Kext issues are pretty troublesome and usually end up with a repair from disk utility. If this is not successful, you will probably have to format and reinstall the OS. When all our efforts failed, we sent out a mail and received a solution overnight. Needless to say, the solution worked both efficiently and perfectly. We did not find this solution even after searching through numerous forums. I

This service is not related to your Mac alone. If you have any queries regarding any Apple product, you can call and get your doubts cleared, anytime.

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Choosing a Reliable iPhone Screen Repair Shop

People who own the Apple iPhone are proud owners. iPhones provide a lot of features and a complete interactive user experience. Alike other cell phones though, iPhones can also be damaged. If your iPhone is damaged in some way, your first priority must be to get it fixed fast. One of the worst things that could occur to an iPhone is a damaged or broken LCD screen. As this cell phone is based solely from on-screen interaction, it can be left useless until fixed. Many people assume it is highly expensive to fix an iPhone with a broken display screen, but the total cost for Apple iPhone screen repair Detroit does not even come close to purchasing a new iPhone. There are numerous ways you can get your iPhone display screen repaired. The most obvious is to check and see if your iPhone is still holds warranty. Even if you are lucky enough to still be within your warranty period, broken or damaged LCD screen is not often covered under manufacture warranty. iPhone screen issues are generally caused by the user and not by a material defect. With that said, if you meet the strict warranty guidelines, then you can definitely utilize that option first. But, if you are like the larger population of iPhone users, you will have to look for a third-party iPhone screen repair Detroit center. Usually, there are many local apple service centre singapore. This means that consumers will find most cell phone repair services provided online. So, when choosing a company to repair your Apple iPhone LCD screen, make sure that they have a solid reputation and offer good reliable customer support. After all, you do not want to send your precious iPhone to just anyone working out of their garage with no experience! Furthermore, before choosing a reliable iPhone repair shop, you also want to make sure they have all the essential Apple iPhone replacement parts that might possibly be needed in order to complete the repair of your cell phone. Repair shops who do not stock iPhone repair parts order them in an on "as needed" basis and since they don't get too much traffic they often times do not stock the replacement parts. This transforms into a very long wait to get your phone back. However, there are also many phone repair companies that provide you with an address to send your phone and will turn around the repair in 24 hours and get it back to you via a faster delivery option. They offer a quick, convenient and professional service. Having this option, may save iPhone users a significant amount of money on your Apple iPhone repair.

[steadywolfcherryblossom-blog]

Keep Your Car in Showroom Condition With Diamondbrite Car Paint Protection

Picture yourself driving your new car out of your dealership. After making what is likely to be one of the most extravagant purchases of your entire life, you are right to be proud of your new set of wheels. New or second-hand, you push the thought to the back of your mind that your car will probably never look this good again. You try to forget that the foreseeable future holds only scratches, chips, sun bleaching, acid rain erosion and bird poo damage for your beautiful paintwork. Wouldn't it be great if your car remained in its showroom condition for years to come? Well now it can!

Don't dismiss paintwork scratches, chips or erosion as inevitable. Spillages on your upholstery and dirt on your carpets don't have to be a 'fact of life'! Manufacturers have developed high-tech car protection systems to keep your car in showroom condition. Protect your paintwork, wheels, alloys and soft furnishings with a professionally applied protection system. Car exterior and interior protection won't only keep your car looking great for years to come, but help preserve its value if you choose to sell in the future. Washing and cleaning your car will be less strenuous and be required less often, saving you time, money and effort!

Diamondbrite is a product which makes preserving your car's appearance and value effortless. A system like Diamondbrite, Supagard or Autoglym LifeShine can be applied by trained experts in your own driveway, in a specialist centre, or wherever is convenient for you. Suitable for any make and model, these protection systems usually involve an temporary paintwork glaze being applied and removed, leaving an invisible protective layer which will guard against scratches, chips and erosion for years to come. Wheel protector, and carpet and upholstery protector are included in your protection package, as is a warranty and aftercare pack. Independent specialists apply the same top brands just as professionally as car dealerships - but for a much lower price.

Trusted systems like Diamondbrite are a real investment for your vehicle. The cost of applying the system will be returned as the value of your car is preserved and you are able to leave longer between washes. And all of this while enjoying a car which looks just as great as the day you purchased it! So, if you want to keep your car looking showroom-new, make the sensible choice and ask for a Diamondbrite protection system. Your car (and your wallet) will thank you for it!

Car grooming are trained experts in applying car protection systems. 

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Ceramic Coatings

Any object would usually need a certain kind of protection, like a coating, to lengthen its life span. A coating could also enhance its physical appearance and other properties, such as resistance to wear, corrosion, scratch and a lot more. It can be applied to many different types of surfaces, may there be solids, liquids and gases too.

Coatings come in different types. They can be optical coatings, ceramic coatings, or spray coatings. They all have a particular set of characteristics and purposes that is unique to each of them.

What are ceramic coatings?

Ceramic coatings are used to cover the surface of a certain kind of object to provide protection. They are usually made of nitrides, silicides, borides and carbides. They are formed during sputtering when hydrocarbon, nitrogen and silicide is introduced in the process. They are often available in the form of TiCN, TiAlN, CrN and TiN.

Ceramic coatings are known to be good agents in oxidation resistance. This characteristic can still be improved further by adding elements like vanadium, chromium, aluminum and yttrium. The addition of nanocomposite coatings and multilayer coatings could also do the job.

What are the functions of coatings? To help you understand how coatings provide protection to objects, here is a list of some of its more specific purposes.

1. Coatings can be used to give materials self-adhesive properties that are useful in labeling, taping and packaging.

2. They have low energy present on their surfaces, therefore enabling objects to have non-stick surfaces.

3. They can enhance an object's color, tint, anti-reflection, holographics and other optical properties.

4. They can make an object water proof or water resistant.

5. They can alter an object's electronic and magnetic properties.

6. They can provide the needed level of photo sensitivity, just like what is required in photographic paper and films.

Coating methods and processes can be categorized into: physical vapor deposition, chemical vapor deposition, spraying, chemical and electrochemical techniques, roll-to-roll coatings, optical coatings, ceramic coatings and many more. Each of these categories includes a wide range of sub-processes that require different kinds of devices, materials, machineries, skills and expertise.

So, whether you are going for ceramic coatings, aluminum coatings or any other type of coatings, it is advisable to look for a company or an individual that is knowledgeable enough on this matter so that you would get the results that you desire and expect.

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How To Get The Most Of Your Employment Agency

Often people are unsure about how to use a employment agency. Many candidates are hesitant about approaching agencies and are unsure about what to expect from consultants. The truth is enlisting the help of an employment agency can be very beneficial to your job search. Employment agencies have the inside track and are trusted by companies to present only the best candidates for the job. Essentially agencies are the eyes and ears of potential employers.

Which one to choose?

You should always sign up to more than one employment agency in singapore, simply because it is better to have a team of consultants working for you giving you access to more positions and exposing you to a broader base of potential employers.

Choose a couple of local agencies and do your research. Smaller local agencies know the business environment they work in and try harder to represent the smaller number of candidates in their database. It is pointless registering with a specialist architect agency if you are looking for employment as a school teacher. However, if you are an architect don't just approach specialist agencies, find a couple of general employment agencies as well. General agencies tend to have specialist clients but they also charge smaller fees which makes you a more attractive candidate. Once you have made an appointment make sure to be on time.

Suit up - make a good impression

When you register with an employment agency, dress the part. Even if the agency is casual you need to treat this as if it were the actual job interview. Dress smartly and professionally, you need to be neat and polished from head to toe. Make provisions for the weather, dress comfortably but don't be sloppy. Women should be modest with makeup, jewellery and tidy hair. Men should dress in a suit, shave and make sure they look sharp. The point of the employment agency interview is to make a good impression so you can get more referrals and interviews with the agencies clients.

Bring your Curriculum Vitae

Bring a couple of concise two page CV's with a separate page of references. Your CV should be typed and in pristine condition. This means no bends or folds and no stains of any kind. Make sure you have checked your CV thoroughly for spelling and grammar before printing. In most scenarios the recruitment agencies will already have your CV from emails or online. Even if the employment agency doesn't want another copy of your CV, some recruitment agencies have their own style application/resume form they want you to fill out. Essentially it will contain the same information and may seem pointless but if you have a CV with you it is easy to copy the information. This way you can easily and consistently provide the same information.

Be patient

Even though you have an appointment you might want to bring a book to pass the time. Recruitment agencies are notoriously busy and often run over their allotted time for interviews. There tends to be a couple of people showing up for interviews at the same time. You may also be required to fill out an employment agency styled CV. The reason it was a good idea to bring your CV is because the quicker you complete your application form, the quicker you'll get into the interview room.

Be prepared

Know your programs, practice your typing skills, prepare by knowing your CV and career aspirations. Some agencies require candidates to take standard tests to determine the level of competency using certain software programs, such as Microsoft Word Microsoft Power Point, Microsoft Excel, Adobe Photoshop and other industry specific specialist programs.

Be honest in your employment agency application. People have a tendency to overestimate while agencies have a tendency to underestimate computer skills, so let your results speak for themselves. These tests are designed to identify work efficiency, so accurate fast typing using shortcuts will speed up tasks and impress the consultant. Your competency tests need to be better than the standard to be considered and the consultant will have your results available in the interview. However, if you have other professional abilities at your disposal the tests may be discarded, but try get the highest score possible.

The interview

Take the employment agency interview very seriously. Treat this as you would an actual job interview and try not to cancel or reschedule as this makes a bad impression. You really want to make a good first impression when you meet the consultant. Being on time, dressed appropriately with a professional CV devoid of errors and good competency scores will go a long way to helping you. Always be courteous, honest about your experience and clear about your goals. Know where and what type of business you want to work in, state salary expectation and if part-time or full-time employment is required. Use the interview to ask advice and discuss your option with the consultant. Be open to positions you will consider. Consultants are trained to identify transferable skills and career development opportunities.

Follow up

Follow up your meeting with the consultant with a thank you email, sms or phone call. You can ask the consultant in the interview what method of contact they prefer. It is almost impossible for consultants to keep in contact with all their candidates. So don't expect a phone call for a chat, consultants will only contact you if they have a suitable position for you. Contact the consultant regularly but don't badger them. One communication a week should be sufficient to continually remind the consultant that you are still available. Staying in contact will improve your chances of when a position becomes available. Check the agencies website often and if there is a job posting you are interested in bring it to the consultants attention. If you are sent for a company interview, follow up with the consultant. Make sure you communicate how the interview went.

Even if it is not ideal employment, it could lead to something bigger, and even if not, it's always good to practice. Remember, always act like a professional and you will be treated like one.

[steadywolfcherryblossom-blog]

Audit Instinct

Recent realities across the world have shown that for countries and organisations to achieve sustainable development, auditing needs to be embraced. Even individuals that want to succeed in life must engage in regular self-auditing. This is because one of the fundamentals of (personal) financial success is financial discipline which finds practical expression in prudence and accountability.

There is now much corporate-governance consciousness globally, because of the strong desire to get out of the economic downturn plaguing the world. Auditing therefore becomes relevant because assessment of the level of compliance with corporate governance is determined through auditing. The desire to sustain the current corporate- best-practices campaign through auditing consciousness, especially in Nigeria, has inspired Obasesam Omini Etimita to write his new book entitled "Audit Instinct", with the subtitle "Excellence of Service Delivery".

Etimita, a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) is an associate member of the Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Nigeria (ICPAN). He has served in external and internal audit firm singapore capacities. A 1996 graduate of Accountancy from the former Polytechnic, Calabar, Cross River State, Nigeria, Etimita believes in service to the people. He is the auditor, Obudu Ranch Hotel & Resort, Cross River State, Nigeria.

According to the author, this book brings to bear, our collective audit responsibility and timeline audit functions by leaders. He says the book also advocates an audit attitude for valuable public revenue and expenditure. Etimita stresses that it is a book on social engineering crusade as it preaches against the spirit of collusion in any given leadership structure. The professional accountant educates that the professional skills and techniques of the auditor of financial statements, transactions and accounts are broadly similar and transferable between the public and private sectors; as well as between profit-making and non-profit-making organisations.

He says in profit-making settings, the major objective of audit is to periodically, statutorily and independently validate the fairness of the profit figure or validate truth of the valuations in the balance sheet by the external auditor. In non-profit-making institutions such as government, audit is a seasonal concern of the legislature and the people, a mandate that public expenditure should be made only for duly-authorised purposes and conform to high standards of probity, expatiates the author.

According to Etimita, audit instinct is the inherent ability to effectively ask and timely verify budget outcome. He adds that it is also about objectively ascertaining the positive impact of the supplementary appropriation in order to be sure that everything is in order within the system.

As regards structure, this book is divided into eight chapters. Chapter one is based on the subject matter of the excellent instinct. Here, the author reveals that nature has made us captains of our instincts from birth. He says whether good or bad, the excellent of all is the audit instinct because it is more inclined to improving service delivery to the people. Generally, audit instinct can be defined as inherent inclination or innate behaviour of a person towards a sense of fairness without formal instructions or checks, submits Etimita. He adds that the existence of this audit virtue in any leadership structure is the sincerity to get things right. The author stresses that a good leadership structure that examines itself timely and purposefully is the audit goal and the financial security desired for adequate service delivery.

He suggests that every person within any given effective leadership structure must possess audit instinct. In Etimita's words, "The huge capital flight can be checkmated by our collective audit instincts. This I call 'self-auditing'. Therefore, it is possible for stakeholders to only invest legal proceeds of labour within our domestic structures and improve every sector of our economy."

He explains that the orthodox perception of the auditor is that of a watchdog. The author says in practice, the audit section is feared and expected not to bark or bite, but encouraged to become a mere rubber stamp. According to him, it is important for leaders to grant immunity and autonomy to auditors for improved results. Etimita expatiates that auditors are friends and important members of the system, who administer operational checks and ensure balances. He says the audit unit is often committed to observing, raising an alarm and reporting, but often nothing tangible is done by the leadership to change things. The author asserts that he believes that our collective audit instincts can make things right, otherwise we may not blame the audit.

Chapter two is based on the thematic focus of introduction to auditing. Here, Etimita says audit is defined as an evaluation of a person, organisation, system, process, enterprise, project or product. He adds that it is a similar concept applied in project management, quality management, energy conservation and good governance. The author stresses that auditing is performed to ascertain the validity and reliability of information, and provide an assessment of a system's internal controls. He says the audit goal is to express opinion on any person, organisation or community structure in question, based on work done on a test basis.

The author explains that audit at the moment seeks to provide only reasonable assurance that the statements are free from material errors as it was with banks and companies that eventually became distressed. He says a mere assurance or opinion will not help in the desired service delivery, hence the need for daily auditing attitude by all players in the system. In financial auditing, a set of financial statements are said to be true and fair when they are free from material misstatements, a concept influenced by both quantitative and qualitative factors, educates Etimita.

The professional accountant adds that recent auditing worldwide has begun to include other information about the system, such as security risk, environmental performance, information systems performance. Budget audit or cost audit, personnel audit, inventory audit and revenue audit are all forms of auditing that refer to a systematic and accurate verification of the transactions and records and checking of adherence to the objective of the system under assessment, explains Etimita.

According to him, people are no longer satisfied with hearing the billions and trillions of naira budgeted and spent by government and corporate organisations annually in Nigeria. Rather, they want to know the impact such huge spending will have on the development of the country and enhancement of their lives, says the author, adding that audit instincts can help in this regard.

Chapter three examines the concept of internal audit role. Etimita educates that given its vital advisory role, a timely independent report on operations will assist sensitive decision-making in leadership. He says this opinion affirms an earlier World Bank position on the internal audit that seeks to affiliate internal audit with the leader as a check unit to all first-line operations for an efficient service delivery.

Etimita explains that in Nigeria, the law that seeks to amongst other things, provide for the prudent management of the nation's resources and secure greater accountability and transparency in fiscal policy framework is the Fiscal Responsibility Act 2007. He says the strength of any law is when its enforcement is instinct-driven, and on this note, it becomes imperative to understand that the audit role is driven by fiscal responsibility.

The author says, "Internal auditing is the pivot of good corporate and public-sector governance. It provides timely objective assessment of the way resources are managed to achieve target results. The internal auditor helps the organisation and government achieve accountability, improve operations and instil confidence in the citizenry whose public trust government and private institutions hold."

In chapters four to seven, Etimita analytically X-rays concepts such as fiscal responsibility; value for money audit; due process and price intelligence; and audit working papers and reporting.

Chapter eight, the last chapter examines the subject matter of budget monitoring and evaluation. The author educates here that in practice, audit is hardly called into a budget preparation session. He adds that the reason may be old-fashioned because the document finally becomes public data and has impact. Etimita says budget is about monitoring and evaluation, and you can budget even in your home but it appears today, its essence is gradually depleting. The author discloses that it is the concern of the audit unit to improve budget implementation especially that it is a universal practice for individuals, companies and government as a medium of measurement of action and performance. Etimita adds that a budget for a trading company may be better appreciated if based on percentage benchmarks for an efficient cash flow management.

Stylistically, this book is outstanding. For instance, the language is very standard, pictorial and yet simple. This book is segmented into eight chapters that are well articulated. The intellectual creativity of the author, originality of the contents and depth of research are indeed commendable. What's more, another unique selling point of the book is the generous use of detailed and accurate illustrations to ensure easy understanding by readers. To fulfil literary academic requirement of source disclosure for credibility, bibliography section is included.

However, "Perfection" is one word that is not in the dictionary of Textual Criticism. Therefore, one area that needs to be improved upon is the outer front cover design which can be visually reinforced with the highlight tool and other necessary auditing tools to achieve effective non-verbal communication that easily is suggestive of the overall subject matter.

Generally, this text is a brilliant package. It is highly recommended to everybody because the author creatively articulates all-encompassing audit functions that guarantee all-round success in all aspects of our lives.

[steadywolfcherryblossom-blog]

In Search Of The Ultimate Gaming Laptop

Gaming technology is developing at a blistering pace. Extremely fast. White knuckle fast. So fast it is very hard to keep track of all the latest innovations even for the most die-hard gaming enthusiast.

Gaming laptops singapore are getting faster, sleeker and more powerful even as you read this. There has been a rapid deployment of gaming and laptop technology recently... dual core, dual graphics, dual hard drives... and the list keeps growing.

Larger screens are another major improvement with 19 and even 20 inch displays coming on stream, offering us a greater viewing area and more enjoyment.

With all these changes taking place in the gaming sector, where can you find the ultimate gaming laptop, the most powerful motherboard of all extreme machines? The best gaming performance for the money?

Where to look? Where to start the search?

Every gamer can tell you the heart of any gaming laptop is the graphics card. You must get the most powerful graphics or GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) if you want your gaming system to perform to the max.

Now everything is coming up dual!

If one card is good, two must be better! You can now get gaming systems with twin or dual graphics with over a Gig of memory. You must also have a way to handle all this power so look for PCI-Express with SLI (Scalable Link Interface) systems.

Don't skimp your pennies here, try to get the best Graphics possible - a lot of gamers go for the high end GPUs such as ATI Mobility Radeon or NVIDIA GeForce Go series. Usually the higher the number the better performance it will deliver.

Know Your RAM

RAM is very important in a gaming laptop mainly because, as with any computer, RAM will largely determine how fast it will perform. Same as with your graphics card, go for the highest RAM possible. Know the difference between ordinary RAM and Video RAM. The latter is very important for running and getting full enjoyment out of your extreme gaming laptop.

Helping to speed everything up, high end gaming laptops now come with dual core processors, most gamers go for Intel or AMD processors. Go with a SATA (Serial Advanced Technology Attachment) hard drive with the highest storage and speed you can afford.

If Money Is No Object

If you want the ultimate gaming laptop you will probably have to pay a hefty price for top performance. The ultimate gaming laptop is really a luxury item where price is never much of a consideration in the first place. For those lucky few where money is no object (These creatures do roam the earth I am told!), searching out the best laptop money can buy must be a pleasant task.

Your hunt would no doubt begin with some of the top gaming brands such as Alienware (now owned by Dell), Voodoo (now a part of HP) and Rock Direct, a UK Laptop Company.

Let's face it, these high end gaming laptop manufacturers are mainly selling style and looks at a premium price. Many people criticize this as style over substance, most of these companies are using the same gaming components shipped in from Taiwan and assembling them into neat little gaming (marketing) packages.

But we are talking about luxury items here, if truth be told how many people would buy a Ferrari if it looked like a Model T? If you're looking for the ultimate gaming machine, you will probably want the looks too? It's a package deal. You can't have Paris without a Hilton!

New Alienware ALX

Some of the latest gaming models have to be seen to be believed. The new Alienware ALX Series should be on your list if you're looking for the ultimate gaming machine. Don't dismiss the latest Dell XPS M1710 laptop, which replaces the current XPS M170.

You should also cast your eye back to the mother country, Rock Direct in the UK has always been an innovator when it comes to gaming laptops. They were one of the first makers to ship Dual Core laptops. Their Xtreme SL Pro comes highly rated with twin AMD Turion 64 TL-60 (2GHz) processors and dual NVIDIA GeForce Go 7950 GTX 512MB graphics cards via PCI-Express with SLI.

Gamers will be taking note of the new DirectX 10 Znote 6625WD from Zepto. Another company in Europe who is taking the lead by introducing DirectX 10 gaming which will be powered by Santa Rosa, Intel's 4th generation Centrino Pro platform. Other vendors closer to home are featuring this new platform such as HP's Pavilion dv6500t.

Other Brands

Of course, you must not forget many of the other major laptop companies which produce high performance machines such as the Apple's MacBook Pro series and the HP's Pavilion line. These shouldn't be ignored in your search for the ultimate gaming machine.

Actually the search for the ultimate gaming laptop is rather pointless, wait two minutes after you have purchased your prized machine and there will probably be something new that will outperform it. Your best bet is to try to buy a machine that you can easily up-grade.

Besides, most gamers are an independent and stubborn lot, so regardless of what the experts or the benchmarks say, any gaming notebook they finally do buy will be their ultimate gaming laptop. If not in fact, then at least in their own minds and in the end that's all that really matters!

[steadywolfcherryblossom-blog]

Why Macbook Repair Is Essential For Users?

Companies around the world are being computerized to perform work fast and efficiently. Computers are being used in every work by the professionals around the world. The computer has drastically decreased the burden of the professional working manually earlier. This is why computer has been named as master device for its role in performing different work quickly. The device is making advanced with every generation to perform work even more nicely. In fact, job aspirants can’t find their suitable job in industry without knowledge of computer. This is because companies always ask for computer skills from the candidate during the recruitment process. To learn and acquire skill of computer, people are buying the device from the market. Though, device is useful in performing work but can create lots of problems for users, if not handled properly. Let us look how to repair different devices immediately and enhance the performance of the device quickly.

Mac is one of the most popular devices of Apple. The device is known for its advanced applications and features useful in performing work immediately. The retina display, high end processors, online threat protection, and other special applications enables users to do complicated projects on time and accurately. This is why Mac is a favorite device for tech-savvy professionals due to presence of high end applications. But, every electronic device gets problems in a certain period of time and requires special repairing to resolve the problems. Macbook repair singapore should be taken from Apple certified technician to get desired services immediately. The device should be cautiously repaired and shouldn’t be taken to a local repairing vendor as it can’t deliver good repairing. Repairing complicated problems of device requires special training and skills by a technician.

No work can be performed by a professional without using computer these days. All business, organization, institutions, and research centers are using computers for performing works at a faster rate. In fact, there is no work which can’t be performed with the help of computers these days. Though, the device is advanced but requires regular maintenance. Computer repair Auckland is the right place to resolve the problems in the device quickly. It has certified technician equipped with advanced software to detect problems and troubleshoot quickly. Further, the repairing service is provided at affordable price of the market. Technicians can repair computer of all brands easily after detecting the problems quickly in advanced devices. In this way, the users can easily save their time and money taking devices to this place.

Businessmen or professionals need to travel to different places around the globe for business purpose. Due to excessive traveling, the work often remained undone and incomplete. They require a reliable and portable device to perform their projects even during travelling. Laptop is thus invented and helping millions of professionals to perform their work outdoor. Though, it is small but consists of advanced applications useful in performing completed projects. Laptop repair is required to resolve the problems which crop up after using sometime. Even a slight glitch in device can hamper the work. The device slows down due to hardware, software, virus, and other problems. Bring the device to our certified technicians to repair at affordable price of the market.

[steadywolfcherryblossom-blog]

Amazon Web Services For Managers

I am asked often about the ins and outs of Amazon Web Services by C-levels, directors and managers. They aren't looking for nitty gritty nuances of scripting with the API of the Elastic Compute Cloud, they are just interested in the general overview of how the 'cloud' works.

When explaining AWS for the first time to managers (or anyone, for that matter) it is best to talk in concepts rather than in concrete terms. I've also noticed it is beneficial to try to tangiblize the discussion with familiar terms. Using terms like "Elastic IP" gets quizical looks, but calling it a publicly accessible IP address helps people to get a better overall grasp of concepts before using the AWS terms for things.

Hierarchical Organization

At a very high level, you can think of EC2 as a global computing environment. Within EC2 are geographical regions that can be thought of as data centers. Inside of these data centers are computer clusters that in AWS parlance are called Availability Zones:

- EC2 (think: cloud) ------ Regions (think: data center) ------------- Availability Zones (think: computer cluster)

Virtual Machines

Inside of an Availability Zone, we have can create virtual machines from predefined or custom Amazon Machine Images, or AMIs. An AMI can be thought of as a snapshot of machine that you can load and run inside the cloud at an Availability Zone. Each time you take an AMI and start it, it is called an Instance of the AMI. You can take an AMI and start it several times, each time creates a new Instance.

Instances are virtual machines that are running, and I really mean they are virtual. If precautions are not taken, these virtual machines can wink out of existence and cause a great deal of consternation. So you don't really want to think of an Instance as something that is robust and persistent. It is merely a unit of computational resources.

Virtual Hard Drives

To help keep your data intact even when an Instance dies, you can use several different AWS services but one of the more common ones is the Elastic Block Store, or EBS. Think of EBS as a hard drive. You can make an EBS from 1GB to 1TB and 'install' it on any of your virtual machine Instances. So, if you have an Instance that is running your website and you want to make sure the database stays healthy even if the Instance disappears, you can use an EBS 'hard drive'. In the vernacular of AWS, you have created an EBS volume and mounted it on an Instance.

Other Virtual Storage

There are other services you could have used besides EBS for holding this imaginary database of yours. For example, the SimpleDB, or SDB, is a perfectly reasonable substitute and would be preferred in certain situations. However, SDB is a specific service for basic database delivery, whereas EBS is a generalized storage solution. There is also the Relational Database Service, or RDS that provide robust database services beyond SDB. The choice of service is often dependent upon the needs of the solution.

Virtual Backup

If we want to secure that data we now have on our EBS volume, we aren't out of the woods yet because even hard drives can fail. We'll want to back this up into more stable storage. For this we can use the Simple Storage Solution, or S3 for short. You can think of S3 as a readily available tape backup. It allows you to have up to 100 directories of data on your tape. Each of these directories is called a bucket in the S3 world. Because it is a good stable storage system, you will want to backup your EBS volume(s) to S3 periodically. And, if you have customized your Instance, you will want to save a new image of it in S3 also. This way, if your carefully customized Instance or EBS volume crashes for any reason, you can pull them out of your backup in S3 fairly quickly and get up and running again.

Robust Security

Well, all of this would be worthless if we didn't have good security to make sure our solution was hacked. Two concepts are used in AWS for security purposes. The first is a set of keys that allows you and your developers to gain access to your systems. These are public/private key pairs and digital certificates necessary to securely log into the Instance. The second, called a security group, can be thought of as a firewall configuration. You create a security group that defines how outside entities - such as web browsers, or remote desktops, or ftp, or email, etc. - can or cannot access your Instance.

Virtual Router

To serve our website to the public, we will need to have a permanent public IP address that we can assign to our Instance. For this we use an Elastic IP, or EIP. It is 'elastic' because although it is a fixed public IP on the Internet, it can be assigned to any of our Instances on the inside of AWS. This is a big plus because if that Instance dies and we bring up a new Instance, we can move the EIP to this new Instance and minimize site interruptions.

Cloud Scalability

Our site is up and running on our Instance, our data is safely on an EBS volume, we have backups on S3, well securely given our engineers access, and we have our site publicly accessible. All is well up to the point that we discover increased traffic from elsewhere in the world. Apparently, our site is popular in a geographical region that is distant from the region in which we set up our system. For example, we might have set up our website in the US, but we are getting 50% of our hits from Europe. Performance of our site for our European visitors will not be as good as we would like. Fortunately, we can push our site out closer to these users by using the Content Delivery Network, or CDN.

In AWS, CDN services are delivered by CloudFront. This service takes your static content and replicates closer to where you have a high volume of users, thereby making the delivery of your site much faster.

Conclusion

I hope this helps anyone interested in AWS and needs just a manager's overview of how it all works from a conceptual perspective. Please note that AWS is a constantly evolving system and new services and capabilities are added regularly.

Resources

To learn more about Amazon Web Services, visit these important links:

aws cloud partners