'The World'

By Andrew Wroblewski

How many times per week do you run your antivirus protection or anti-spyware or adware programs to ensure that your paranoia about having an infected machine is just that, paranoia? With so many problems in the computer infection world, one cannot really blame themselves for checking up on their system on a routine basis. However, do you ever really think about where all these programs come from because someone out there must be sending them out, they don't just appear through spontaneous generation. This makes one ponder the question as to who is sending these things?


There are thousands of spyware, adware, and Trojan horse programs that are running rampant throughout cyber space as you read this article. But if you really think about it, just as war might be considered good for the economy, these computer infestation programs are good for the economy. If you are not sure what I mean, just think about Spybot, Spyware Nuker, Adaware, and countless other detection and removal programs. This is a new sector of the economy that has only sprung up as a result of those programs that can take control of your computer.

Just as with the medical industry making billions of dollars per year on not finding cures for AIDS and cancer, because financially these cures would allow them to make less profits each. It seems like information technology companies do not want to rid the
world of all the infectious programs that can endanger your PC. The reason for this is
that they find profit in the misfortunes of others. The continual emergence of new Trojan or adware makes it necessary for people to spend money for protection. If this sounds familiar that is because it is the same philosophy employed by organized crime. You pay them for protection but they are not going to do anything to ultimately cure each case but just get more money from you after something happens and tell you that it is not going to happen.

In short, Spyware is good for the economy because it allows for more money to be reinvested into the market through purchasing new and updated protection programs to keep you computer clean. It makes you put more money back into the economy and allow the software creators of these protection programs to prosper. Who knows, it could be these companies that created some of these programs that you need their software to cure. Just think about it, spyware IS good.

Now that you have read that, please read this. If you believe any of that, I have an oceanfront house in Oklahoma that I can sell you at a great price. Spyware, Trojan programs, and adware are nothing but a group of programs put on this planet to annoy us at all times. Most spyware and adware programs offer you free versions of their software that is sufficient enough to monitor your system on a regular basis. Although, there are those that offer a more detailed version at a higher price, most free versions are sufficient. Spyware is not good and these programs help keep it that way. Don't believe the hype!

By Andrew Wroblewski

FACT: Chances are your machine is hosting spyware. There are currently over 78,000 Spyware and Adware programs on the Internet that can affect your PC.

Here are 9 warning signs you should be aware of, if any of them pertain to you then your PC is most likely infected:

If you start you Internet browser and the homepage that pops up is not the one that has been set by you. You then change it back to what you want and then it goes back to something you didn't set again. This is one of the more common features and ways to tell that you have been taken over by some sort of spyware and that you should rid your system of it immediately.

If you get pop-ups that have been personalized with your name on them or you begin to receive pop up ads while you are not even connected to the Internet or don't have a browser open. This is one of the more annoying ways that your system will let you know that you have something other than normal operating in your system.

You start receiving very expensive phone bills that have you placing many calls to 900 numbers that you never heard and ones that have hefty per-minute rates. Spyware takes over your phone line due to the connection that you have in conjunction with that phone service, whether dial-up or broadband.

You enter a searchable item into your required Internet toolbar or address bar and then all of sudden an unapproved searching system handles your search. More infamous items are infected with stuff such as Mysearch Bar and other spyware type search engines that only take you to their approved sites.


Another sure fire way to know that you have spyware operating on your system is that
you have view your favorites list and you have favorite sites in their that you did not put in yourself and have found that other sites you put there are no longer found. You delete these items but they always show up again in your favorites.

Your system begins to run slower than normal. If you are a updated Windows OS user you pull up your task manager system information screen and see that your system is running at 100%, then you are infected with spyware because your system always needs a little free space in order to process information, which is why your system slows down when you have spyware on it.

At a time when you are not doing anything online, the send or receive lights on your dial-up or broadband modem blink just as wildly and lively as when you are online downloading a file or surfing the Internet. Also, your network icon on your screen will be flashing rapidly showing you that you are working on receiving and sending information from your system at a very rapid rate. This is the job of spyware here to send and receive information to your system without telling you.

A search toolbar or other browser toolbar appears even though you didn't request it or install it. Your attempts to remove it fail, or it comes back after removal. Parts of spyware registry files hide themselves in your system under aliases and unless you find all of them and remove them, then they will never leave your system, causing them to show up over and over again.

And the final sign is: Everything appears to be running normal but the most deceptive and devious spyware leaves no tracking information for you to find it anyway. This is the sure way to get you to check your system on a routine and regular basis so that you are sure you have no signs of an infection.

By Mitch Johnson

During 2004 there were significant strides in the battle against spyware which will change the future of the invasive threats. The Federal Trade Commission and the United States Congress addressed several issues involving spyware in an effort to minimize the threats coming from the quickly growing industry. Before these spyware issues were brought to government attention spyware was known to be nearly anything that was an internet related threat.

There is now a formal definition telling that spyware is "software that aids in gathering information about a person or organization without their knowledge and which may send such information to another entity without the consumer's consent, or asserts control over a computer without the consumer's knowledge." Also working against spyware, the congress passed several bills to stop spyware from installing and running itself on someone's computer without their knowledge.

Most spyware distributors were able to sneak around the news laws set into place by the legislation passed by making their spy software more difficult to remove. Spyware will install unwanted toolbars, show pop ups, alter security settings, change your browser home page and change or delete system files. Other forms of spyware can log each key stroke you make and then send or sell it to unknown parties.

Spybot Search and Destroy and Lavasoft's AdAware programs are available to personal computer users for free to combat spyware threats. On the other side, spyware
companies approached their invasive methods in a different way by coaxing users into
buying their products which would then install spyware. To stop these efforts by spyware the FTC filed suits against Seismic Entertainment Productions and SmartBot.net who were selling their spyware to be installed as an anti-spyware product.

These companies' programs, Spy Wiper and Spy Deleter, would send warning messages to users that their system had spyware and by purchasing and installing on of these programs the threats could be detected and removed. On the contrary, the programs would bombard a user's computer with pop ups and install additional spyware, causing computer malfunctions.

PestPatrol is another example of spyware companies' stealth like methods. This popular anti-spyware product will actually detect spyware applications on a fresh computer with Windows XP that has not been connected to the internet yet. This is usually a definite sign of rogue spyware. These false claims by anti-spyware products are partially the reason why it is estimated nine out of ten computers are infected with spyware.

Studies done by industry experts at IDC have predicted the spyware market will grow up to $400 million dollars by 2008. Major security companies such as McAfee and Symantec are already beginning to include anti-spyware software in their product packages. Yahoo, Earthlink and Microsoft have also joined the anti-spyware world, releasing their versions of spyware removal tools.

By Microsoft breaking into the anti-spyware world several smaller spyware tool companies may be smashed because users will most likely prefer the trusted company's software over an unknown.

By Mitch Johnson

The internet has quickly become a dangerous place to take your computer without first having sufficient security equipment installed and running. Intruders using viruses were the first threat and spyware has become the most prevalent threat against user's privacy and computer functioning. Having only anti-virus and firewall protection will no longer fully protected your computer from the many internet threats.

Signing online without first having good anti-spyware protection will now invite in privacy intruders you would not normally allow in. With spyware in you computer there is seemingly no end to the personal information that can be extracted. The information the intruder desires is easily logged by spyware programs and sent back to the originator.

Spyware can steal information about your computer's operating system, the computer's address and system specific information such as what type of processor and the type internet browsers you have. It will also record what web sites you visit and other internet usage information. All this information collected by spyware intruders is used to create a profile for you
that the intruders use for advertising purposes by bombarding you with annoying pop ups and email ads.

A spyware program with a keylogger can be potentially the most dangerous for of spyware because it works by logging each key stroked into your computer. You user names, passwords, instant message chats, email messages, credit information and more can all be caught and sold or used by third party intruders. Other forms of spyware take snapshots of your screen as you work online at different times. Any type of spyware infection should be taken seriously and measures to minimize the privacy
invasion should be taken.

Users will most likely know they have been infested with adware because it almost always come with numerous annoying pop ups that signal an infection. Spyware is
usually more difficult to detect
because it is programmed to work silently. As it build on your system the computer's functions will become noticeable slower and browser pages will take longer to load.

Spyware can also take control of a computer causing browser crashes among other annoying and potentially dangerous malfunctions. If you internet browser page has been abruptly changed or you printer and CD players begin acting odd they your computer is usually infected with spyware.

You can begin avoiding spyware by knowing what types of programs come with spyware or adware packages when downloaded. Many of the popular freeware and file sharing applications come with adware. Kazaa is widely known for having several adware applications piggy backing their way into your computer as does the free download of Weatherbug and DivX. The newer version of DivX has rid itself of adware so users can feel safer.

Even anti-spyware tools can trick users into installing more spyware because some of the scan and removal tools are produced by the spyware distributors. Spyware Nuker is one such programs which tells users it will eliminate spyware when it actually skips over some infections during the scan and can install or let in additional infections. The best spyware tools immunize your system and then block spyware packages from getting in the system.

Any spyware removal tool you choose to use should be updated before each scan and the scans should be run at least on a weekly basis. Many anti-spyware protective tools can be programmed to run automatically at whatever schedule you choose. Some of the top rated anti-spyware tools include AdAware, Hijack This, PestPatrol, Spybot Search and Destroy and SpySweeper and each is a free download. Once you have found a free product that suits you consider paying for a more advanced version
to get greater protection.

To continue surfing the internet safely while keeping your privacy it is vital that all users arm themselves with some sort of spyware protection tool. Many computer malfunctions and technical support calls stem from spyware infections.

By Mitch Johnson

The network administrator an a company ran a normal web activity report of all the enterprise's users and found that the employees were logging thousands of hits per day on a single site that had nothing to do with the business. What was found was not that the employees were slacking while at work, rather the network was infected with spyware that was tracking the surfers' activity then sending the information back to the web site for a third part to review and use, all without the employees' knowledge.

Spyware can and will slow a computer's bandwidth as well as cause the network to gradual decrease its speed. Many companies are beginning to worry about spyware because it has become so easy to get and install into unknowing users' computers. Most employees do not know that by clicking on a pop up or web site or by downloading free
files such as a screen saver they are letting spyware into the system.

There are numerous programs available to find and delete these malicious spyware applications. Taking preventative measures against spyware will save networks much more time and money than if they wait to remove the spyware after it is already installed and doing its work. Users cannot think they are safe surfing the internet without spyware protection. It is necessary for personal and business network computers to find and use an anti-spyware program that will not only scan for current infection but also protect your computer while you are online.

The above mentioned business used Wavecrest's Cyfin monitoring program to solve their problems and detect any unusual activity occurring. Wavecrest includes a Cyblock filter so while employees are online the software is protecting against future spyware invasions. For more information on how Wavecrest's security works visit their site at wavecrest.net.

By Daniel Millions

A research proposal is a bit similar to a project proposal. Most students and researchers themselves do not know what the meaning of a research proposal is but they do know everything about its importance.

A research proposal is a document written to convince others that you have a research project and you have the work plan to complete that particular project Leaving aside the area where you are researching, the proposal must fulfill some of the questions which are unique for that proposal: Here are some of the basic components of a research proposal.

(1)What are you planning?
(2)Why do you want it to be done?
(3)Which technique will you be using?
(4)Why that specific technique?

One should take notice of the fact that the proposal that you are writing should be done in such a manner that the one who is reading that proposal should be able to understand it completely. There should be enough knowledge and information presented of the general issues taking place. The writer must step forward and take command over his or her own literature. The research thesis should only be approximately 300 words. One should also know how to frame their research question as it is one of the most difficult tasks in research

Proposal: To write a good and unique proposal you should have unique ideas and have a great level of understanding of that field. An introduction should also be written that will grab the attention of the researcher .One very important step is literature review. There are also good chances that you are writing this for a person who may already be a specialist.


Now here are some common problems
that could arise while writing a Research proposal. Before writing the proposal you should think in advance about the different kinds of problems you may face while writing the proposal. Most people are caught off guard! For example, texts might be unavailable, internet sites might be down or no longer available, books may be checked out etc. The description of the proposal-is very important. The project that is being completed by us should have the details of what kind of research you will conduct to complete this project.

For example: reading, newspapers, internet engines, personal interviews, etc. Also state the significance of the proposal. You should put up in your proposal why it is worth considering and for this you will have to answer a number of questions.

What do you hope to learn from it? Who might you decide to share your findings? Will it be published some day also, the background of the proposal? .etc. You should also share your background about any previous researcher that's been done and how did you generated interest in it.

They may ask what has led you to do more research then them. A proposal is a qualitative research A research proposal normally has a few aspects (researches) i.e., qualitative and naturalistic .etc, But here under research proposal one is the qualitative research aspect.

The purpose of this section is to introduce you to the idea of qualitative research. How it is related to quantitative research and give you some major types of qualitative research data, approaches and methods. Things to be avoided in a proposals: broad topic areas, vague descriptions and so on. These are just some of the steps to research proposal writing if one keeps in his/her mind he can prepare a winning proposal.

By Daniel Millions

Here is a quick how to guide on the research writing process. I will break it up into parts using a standard research writing method. This may not be for everyone. Certain subjects require specific information that may not be covered in this article. Overall though I think the knowledge found here will prove itself useful.

Topic: If you needed to do a research paper about stars specifically, you may also need to include information throughout about outer space in general. You're going to have to research gravity, solar systems, planets, constellations, star types, solar systems and galaxies just to have a basic understanding of astronomy. Dealing with what has been observed opposed to theories is the best option when writing about scientific research. However, you may be asked to write about both.

Research: Now that we have decided on a topic it's now time to do some research. A few places you can research are the library, internet, magazines, television and professionals. Now, when I say professionals I simply mean people who have hands on experience in dealing with that particular topic.

There may be a professor at your local college who may be willing to sit down and have a discussion with you. If the opportunity presents itself to speak with someone, remember to take notes. They may even be open to you recording the conversation(s). In any event make sure you document your findings so you can verify them later. If you don't do the research about the topic you are writing about, it will show in the final draft.


Compiling Data: Assuming you have gathered all of the research required for your paper,
it's now time to review and compile it all. The best thing to do is to put everything in order for easier access. Lay everything out and review each piece to determine what you want to keep and what you want to discard of. Take notes and quote each source along the way. If you obtained a certain point out of an encyclopedia for example, make sure you have the volume and page number to go along with it.

This will make writing your draft easier and take up less time. Double check everything to make sure your sources are legitimate. You may want to go the extra mile and places some phone calls or e-mails with the sources to verify them. That way you can be confident in what you are writing is actually accurate.

Writing: We have covered choosing a topic, research and compiling our data, now it's time to begin writing. Have a few snacks close by if you know you will be writing for a few hours. Consider this your rough draft but write it as if it were the final draft. When you write a point that requires a source, make sure you find them in your notes and list them.

The more documentation you can provide in the paper, the better it will appear. After you have completed the rough draft take some time off and relax. Once you have proofread it, make the areas of your document that you can approve upon. Make any and all revisions and proofread it again. Check for spelling, punctuation and grammatical errors and revise it once more.

When you feel you have the paper the way you want it, have others read it for feedback. You may need to revise it several times until it is complete. After all of this has been completed then you will be done with your well written research paper.

By Simon Barrett

This is James Ross' first exploration into the literary world, and he should pat himself on the back for producing a very well designed and executed story. I like my heroes heroic and my villains villainous, and Ross delivers.

Being a book reviewer, I maybe treat reading a little different from most people. I pick up a book, check the number of pages, the typeface, and font size. Lifetime Loser based on my reading criteria looked like a two, or at most 3 day adventure.

How wrong I was, it took me over a week to read this book. The plot lines are intricate, and the character development intricately and cleverly handled. I knew I was in trouble when at the end of my first day of reading I had barely scratched the first 50 pages. I took some time out to think about this shocking statistic. It wasn’t that I had lost my touch at the art of reading, it was just that there was so much detail that was so well written, it took time to assemble and file the information.

OK, I suppose you want to know what the book is about?

Our hero is J. W. Schroeder (aka J Dub), we meet him as a young man who has a flair for the game of golf, his father having taught him all he can about this gentleman’s game. J Dub has a chance to make it to the big league, a player on the PGA. One momentary lapse of concentration wrenches defeat from the jaws of victory, and J Dub loses his
opportunity. What next for this young man and his pregnant wife? A life giving golf
lessons at the local driving range?

J Dub's angel comes in the form of one Lewford E. Zerrmann. Lew is a 'land man' and has recently purchased a rather run down golf course, he needs someone with a knowledge of the game to run it for him. Better still, because Lew is such a nice guy he will offer a partnership, J Dub can have have 20% of the business, and a first option to buy should J Dub wish to become a sole owner.

15 years elapse, and about the only thing J Dub knows for sure is that his partner is no gentleman, he has no people skills, and seems to be hell bent of driving customers away. The golf course on the other hand is a popular spot, cash flow is great, yet their never seems to be any money left in the bank after expenses have been paid.

As the relationship becomes increasing strained J Dub is forced to start looking around, and talking to people. What he hears and sees does not make for a pretty picture. He must know make a decision, to walk away from 15 years of sweat equity or stay and fight?

This is a great book, it has murder, swindles, forgery, tax evasion, pretty much everything you could want in a great read. Lew has all of the social skills of Rattle Snake, while naive J Dub plods gently along at his own pace. In a David Vs. Goliath battle who will win?

I will not give the intricacies of the plot away, and neither will I spoil the ending, but I will whet your appetite with the fact that the ending will come as a big surprise.

You can pick up your copy from Amazon.

By Jinger Jarrett

We all have nightmares of high school English teachers.

Improper grammar, bad spelling, and problems with writing a paragraph may just be a few of the problems you had in writing in school.

However, writing for the business world is a little different. Yes, you should still learn how to spell. Use capital letters in the appropriate places, and make your writing look professional.



The rules of grammar can be broken though to make your writing more clear, as well as making your writing more conversational.

Regardless of what type of writing you need to do for your business, these tips will help you write better. They may not help you get an A in English class, but they could help you write better copy and improve your conversion.

1. Write and then edit.
If you're having trouble getting started, the problem may be that you are trying to write your piece perfectly the first time.

The easiest way to correct writer's block is to simply say what you have to say. Write it down as it comes to you. Once you've written down everything you need to say, set it aside for awhile. Then go back and edit. Do you rewrites after you have written it.

2. Read it out loud.
You can catch up to 70 percent of your grammar and writing mistakes by reading your piece aloud. Check for flow. You'll get clearer writing by hearing how the piece sounds.

3. Do a good spell check.

If you're not very good at spelling, you
can use your spell check to help you find many spelling mistakes. However, a good spell check won't catch words that sound alike. If a spell check isn't enough to help you find all of your errors, find someone who spells well and get him/her to read it and check for mistakes for you.

4. Study good sales materials.
If you don't have a swipe file, you should keep one. This should include a text document of great headlines you have found, great sales letters, email sales letters, ads, etc.

Include pieces that appeal to you. This can also include the sales materials for things you have bought.

Study these pieces and incorporate what you learn into your own writing. However, don't copy. Rewrite elements in your own words.

5. Focus on the benefits not the features of your product or service.
What is the most important benefit of your product? This isn't what a product will do, it is what it will do for the customer.

For example, if you are selling shampoo, perhaps the shampoo gets hair really clean. The major benefit for the customer could be that this shampoo creates shiny, luxurious, and thicker hair that makes him/her look like he/she stepped out of a salon.

When writing for the Internet, think about your reader. Use short words, short paragraphs, and only write your piece as long as it needs to be to explain your offer. Readers online read 25 percent slower than when they are reading in print.

You'll get a better sales piece, and your reader is more likely to respond to your offer.

By Michelle Howe

Imagine; you spend thousands of dollars designing your website and no one comes. Why?

It could be that you forgot about the content or you didn't invest enough in the message. Good website content delivers the right message in the right way.

Tip #1 -The most important rule to remember is that writing for the web is not like writing for print.



Tip #2 - Brochures contain a tremendous amount of information in a small amount of space. You can't successfully post the wording from a
brochure on your website - that is too much text.

Tip #3 - As a rule, cut print copy 50 percent before posting it on your website. If all the information is necessary, reformat it. Keep the
content short and simple. People tend to scan websites, seldom reading through long blocks of text.

Tip #4 - Headings are an effective tool in letting people see your message as they scan through your website. To break up copy, consider using subheadings. Make it easy for your visitor to jump around your website and get key information. Additionally, as search engines often use headings to find your page, use keywords.

Tip #5 - Get used to counting words. Headings should be under eight words. Sentences should range from 15 to 20 words and paragraphs from 40 to 70 words.

Tip #6 - Bullets are an excellent way to quickly present information to someone scanning your website. Consider using bulleted information as links to more detailed descriptions, rather than trying to put all the information on one page.

For instance, if you are writing Web content for a restaurant and want to offer potential customers suggestions on dining occasions, you might try:


The Lost in The 60's Restaurant is a
fun place to celebrate:
•Birthdays
•Anniversaries
•Group Events
•Corporate Events and Parties
•Company Parties

Now all the information is only a click away. And it's easy to search, thereby saving patrons time and you a cluttered Web space.

Tip #7 - Another rule of thumb is to avoid industry jargon. Be considerate of your website visitor and don't assume they know what you know. Using unfamiliar words could confuse visitors and influence them to leave your site. Also, make sure your phrasing is easy-to-understand. Consider asking someone outside your industry to
review your writing.

Tip #8 - Remember, people use the Internet to find information. You need to be direct and to the point to attract attention immediately. Always begin paragraphs with the most important information and then provide other relevant details.

Tip #9 - Use a conversational style. Write as though you were speaking with someone, not at them.

In a face-to-face encounter, a salesperson tries to immediately establish a rapport with a customer. It is much easier to make a sale if
someone feels comfortable and trusts you. With the Internet, you have to establish that same rapport with words.

Tip #10 - The best way to converse with your reader is to write from their point of view, not yours. Don't simply write, "The XY2 Widget is the best product on the market." Rather, explain the benefits of the XY2 Widget; " By purchasing the XY2 Widget you will save time and money." Then, illustrate how the widget saves time and money.

Tip #11 - Finally, show some enthusiasm in your writing! People want to be entertained. Corporate-speak is not going to do it. Have some personality and create a voice for your company that people recognize. It truly is OK to entertain and inform on the Web