PC - freeware - Knowledge database

Zacharie · **Posted:** Sun Feb 05, 2012 3:49 pm

What Is Wiki?

The simplest online database that could possibly work.

Zacharie · **Posted:** Mon Feb 06, 2012 5:53 am

What means 'portable' software?

The portable one typically runs off one executable (.exe) file and also stores its settings in the same folder. It might have other dll and ini files with it to store settings and preferences but they are all located in the one folder which you take with you on a flash drive or similar, hence the name portable. However most software you have to pay for (especially the likes of Photoshop and Audition) is not supposed to be portable. People have converted it to a portable edition that can be easily copied without having to license it.

Often it does miss some features that haven't been able to be made portable. For instance Adobe Audition doesn't do everything in portable form and it doesn't interact with your computers hardware as well either.

Zacharie · **Posted:** Mon Feb 06, 2012 7:30 am

What is a 'download manager'?

A download manager is a computer program dedicated to the task of downloading (and sometimes uploading) possibly unrelated stand-alone files from (and sometimes to) the Internet for storage. This is unlike a World Wide Web browser, which is mainly intended to browse web pages, composed of a multitude of smaller files, where error-free moving of files for permanent storage is of secondary importance. (A failed or incomplete web page file rarely ruins the page.) The typical download manager at a minimum provides means to recover from errors without losing the work already completed, and can optionally split the file to be downloaded (or uploaded) into 2 or more segments, which are then moved in parallel, potentially making the process faster within the limits of the available bandwidth. (A few servers are known to block moving files in parallel segments, on the principle that server capacity should be shared equally by all users.) Multi-source is the name given to files that are downloaded in parallel.

Zacharie · **Posted:** Mon Feb 06, 2012 10:23 am

What is an 'image hosting' service?

An image hosting service allows individuals to upload images to an Internet website. The image host will then store the image onto its server, and show the individual different types of code to allow others to view that image.

Hosting services have the potential ability to identify when and where their images are being used. When an image file is accessed, the image host is capable of logging the date and the general numeric internet address of the request.

In the case of spam (email), the messages often include unique image URLs that are specific to that message only. The unique URL is used as a tracking ID, so that the image host can identify exactly what message intended for what specific recipient has been viewed, in addition to the date and host accessing the image. This is why many email reading systems do not show images by default, to protect the reader from having their reading of spam being tracked by the email senders.

Zacharie · **Posted:** Mon Feb 06, 2012 2:08 pm

What is bbcode?

Code:

I haven't seen many weblogs that require BBCode, I have to say, but there are lots of discussion boards that require postings be written in BBCode rather than HTML. The main reason, as far as I can tell, is so there's some control over people not adding unauthorized HTML sequences (like including pictures from unaffiliated Web sites) because it doesn't seem that much easier than HTML when you look at the two.

Be that as it may, there are now a lot of different sites that are BBCode enabled, so let's have a look at how it works...

The basic difference between BBCode and HTML is that while HTML uses < and > to surround tags, BBCode requires that you use [ and ]. Once you realize that, it's pretty smooth sailing.

For example, bold text is produced with [b]text to have in bold[/b], while italics is generated with [i] and [/i] and underlining (which is still a bad idea on a Web page, even in BBCode) is done with [u] and [/u].

Font color and size changes are accomplished with deprecated HTML "font" tag attributes: [color=red]text in red[/color] turns some text red, for example. You can also specify the hexidecimal color equivalent if you're a purist (that is, use [color=#ccff00]), and text size can be specified as a value of 1..29, where [size=1]1=very small text[/size] and [size=29]29=really big text[/size]. The more modern way to specify these type attributes in the HTML world is to use CSS styles, but that's another story. :-)

A surprising number of boards that use BBCode also support special code listing blocks denoted with [code] and [/code]. Within these two tags, all < and > symbols are translated into their displayable equivalent (the HTML character entities &lt; and &gt;) so that you can share HTML code with other board members.

On sites that allow links to be created, there are two ways you can produce a hypertext reference in BBCode. The easiest is to tell the system that you're entering a Web site address -- a URL -- and that you want it clickable. To point to this Web site, for example, you'd use this: [url]http://www.askdavetaylor.com/[/url]. If you want to get a bit more fancy and have a few words that are clickable, then you need to separate the clickable words from the URL of the target site, as with regular HTML. To have the words "Dave Knows" link to this site, use this: [url=http://www.askdavetaylor.com/]Dave Knows[/url].

Finally, a small number of sites will let you include images using the [img] tag. It's completely analogous to the simpler of the URL forms shown earlier, and linking to, say, the cheery Yahoo Instant Messenger graphic on their home page can be accomplished with: [img]http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/ww/bt1/msg.gif[/img]. By the way, just because you can include a graphic doesn't mean you should or are allowed to...

That's about it for the BBCode language. You can combine multiple tags in a sequence if you want blue, bold, URLs, for example (you'd use [color=blue][b][url]the URL[/url][/b][/color]). Just make sure that you always close links from innermost to outermost, just like parentheses in your writing!

Hope that helps you figure out how to use BBCode to its fullest!

Note: article put inside 'code tag' to keep code tags visible

Zacharie · **Posted:** Mon Feb 06, 2012 5:18 pm

What is a Plug-in?

In computing, a plug-in (or plugin) is a set of software components that adds specific abilities to a larger software application. If supported, plug-ins enable customizing the functionality of an application. For example, plug-ins are commonly used in web browsers to play video, scan for viruses, and display new file types. Well-known plug-ins examples include Adobe Flash Player, QuickTime, and Microsoft Silverlight.

Add-on (or addon) in computing is often considered the general term comprising snap-ins, plug-ins, extensions, and themes for software applications.

Zacharie · **Posted:** Mon Feb 06, 2012 7:36 pm

What is Malware?

Malware is an abbreviated term used to describe a "malicious software" program. Malware includes things like spyware or adware programs, such as tracking cookies, which are used to monitor your surfing habits. It also includes more sinister items, such as keyloggers, Trojan horses, worms, and viruses.

A keylogger is just what it sounds like. It is a program that logs every keystroke you make and then sends that information, including things like passwords, bank account numbers, and credit card numbers, to whomever is spying on you. A Trojan horse may damage your system, and it may also install a "backdoor" through which to send your personal information to another computer. These forms of malware are commonly used for perpetrating identity theft.

A virus or a worm replicates itself and may hijack your system. These types of malware may then be used to send out spam or to accomplish a variety of other unsavory activities, and you may not even know it. Viruses usually attach to other programs, while worms are self-contained. Both can cause severe damage by eating up essential system resources, which may lead to your computer freezing or crashing. Viruses and worms commonly use shared files and items like email address books to spread to other computers.

Any type of code or program that is used for monitoring and collecting your personal information or disrupting or damaging your computer, may be referred to as malware. In fact, malware can be any type of malicious code, even if it has not yet been identified as a worm, Trojan, etc. Good anti-virus programs can be configured to scan email for any type of malicious or suspicious code, and alert you to its presence, even if it is not currently recognized malware.

Anti-virus programs are good protection when kept up to date. However, they frequently miss certain types of malware, such as Trojans and spyware, so it is a good idea to run at least one anti-adware program in conjunction with anti-virus. Running two is even better. Utilizing a firewall is also helpful. While it won't keep malware out, it can keep such programs from accessing the internet and delivering your personal information to the intended target.

Zacharie · **Posted:** Mon Feb 06, 2012 8:16 pm

What is a proxy?

A proxy server is a server that retrieves web pages for you, providing only its own identity to the sites it visits. Most proxy servers that are available for public use simply allow you to surf websites on the Internet without having your browser type, IP address and other header information sent to the website you are viewing. Please don't mistake this to mean that there is not a link between you and that website. It simply means the website itself does not receive this information because the proxy server blocks it. However, all of that information is (usually) collected by the proxy server, along with the requests you made through their proxy.

So in the end, the websites you visit will not be able to determine that your IP address has visited their site, which to some is considered an anonymous web excursion. They will only know the proxy server was there, which raises another area of caution. Many sites will deny access to servers they know to be proxy servers, which could become a hassle when surfing the Internet.

If there is one lesson to take home as an average Internet user, it is that nobody is anonymous on the Internet, regardless of what anyone tells you

Zacharie · **Posted:** Tue Feb 07, 2012 7:28 am

What Is An IP Address?

This number is an exclusive number all information technology devices (printers, routers, modems, et al) use which identifies and allows them the ability to communicate with each other on a computer network. There is a standard of communication which is called an Internet Protocol standard (IP). In laymans terms it is the same as your home address. In order for you to receive snail mail at home the sending party must have your correct mailing address (IP address) in your town (network) or you do not receive bills, pizza coupons or your tax refund. The same is true for all equipment on the internet. Without this specific address, information cannot be received. IP addresses may either be assigned permanently for an Email server/Business server or a permanent home resident or temporarily, from a pool of available addresses (first come first serve) from your Internet Service Provider. A permanent number may not be available in all areas and may cost extra so be sure to ask your ISP.

Zacharie · **Posted:** Tue Feb 07, 2012 12:38 pm

What is an SMTP server?

SMTP (pronounced as separate letters) Short for Simple Mail Transfer Protocol, a protocol for sending e-mail messages between servers. Most e-mail systems that send mail over the Internet use SMTP to send messages from one server to another; the messages can then be retrieved with an e-mail client using either POP or IMAP. In addition, SMTP is generally used to send messages from a mail client to a mail server. This is why you need to specify both the POP or IMAP server and the SMTP server when you configure your e-mail application.

Zacharie · **Posted:** Tue Feb 07, 2012 2:23 pm

What is the Windows API?

The Windows API, informally WinAPI, is Microsoft's core set of application programming interfaces (APIs) available in the Microsoft Windows operating systems. It was formerly called the Win32 API; however, the name "Windows API" more accurately reflects its roots in 16-bit Windows and its support on 64-bit Windows. Almost all Windows programs interact with the Windows API; on the Windows NT line of OSes, a small number (such as programs started early in the Windows startup process) use the Native API.

Developer support is available in the form of the Microsoft Windows SDK, providing documentation and tools necessary to build software based upon the Windows API and associated Windows interfaces

Zacharie · **Posted:** Tue Feb 07, 2012 3:58 pm

What does 'open source' mean?

Most software that you buy or download only comes in the compiled ready-to-run version. Compiled means that the actual program code that the developer created, known as the source code, has run through a special program called a compiler that translates the source code into a form that the computer can understand (see How C Programming Works for details on compilers). It is extremely difficult to modify the compiled version of most applications and nearly impossible to see exactly how the developer created different parts of the program. Most commercial software manufacturers see this as an advantage that keeps other companies from copying their code and using it in a competing product. It also gives them control over the quality and features found in a particular product.

Open source software is at the opposite end of the spectrum. The source code is included with the compiled version and modification or customization is actually encouraged. The software developers who support the open source concept believe that by allowing anyone who's interested to modify the source code, the application will be more useful and error-free over the long term.

Zacharie · **Posted:** Tue Feb 07, 2012 6:09 pm

What is (ebook) metadata?

Metadata has been used in various forms as a means of cataloging archived information. The Dewey Decimal System employed by libraries for the classification of library materials is an early example of metadata usage. Library catalogues used 3x5 inch cards to display a book's title, author, subject matter, and a brief plot synopsis along with an abbreviated alpha-numeric identification system which indicated the physical location of the book within the library's shelves. Such data helps classify, aggregate, identify, and locate a particular book. Another form of older metadata collection is the use by US Census Bureau of what is known as the "Long Form." The Long Form asks questions that are used to create demographic data to create patterns and to find patterns of distribution. The term was coined in 1968 by Philip Bagley, one of the pioneers of computerized document retrieval. Since then the fields of information management, information science, information technology, librarianship and GIS have widely adopted the term. In these fields the word metadata is defined as "data about data". While this is the generally accepted definition, various disciplines have adopted their own more specific explanation and uses of the term.

Zacharie · **Posted:** Wed Feb 08, 2012 7:48 am

What are Archive Formats?

An archive format is the file format of an archive file. The archive format is determined by the file archiver. Some archive formats are well-defined by their authors and have become conventions supported by multiple vendors and/or open-source communities.

Archive formats support features such as file concatenation, data compression, encryption, file spanning, parity/Cyclic redundancy check, checksum, self-extraction, self-installation, volume and directory structure information, package notes/description, and other meta-data.

Zacharie · **Posted:** Wed Feb 08, 2012 9:04 am

What is the Windows Registry?

The Registry is a database used to store settings and options for the Microsoft Windows OS. It contains information and settings for all the hardware, software, users, and preferences of the PC. Whenever a user makes changes to a Control Panel settings, or File Associations, System Policies, or installed software, the changes are reflected and stored in the Registry.

The Windows Registry is an enormous batch of files containing information about almost everything that occurs on the computer, from a visit to a Web site to a program installation. The registry also contains information about drivers and other essential programs, like DLLs -- small helper programs that often work with more than one application. This information is stored in the form of "keys" that help programs run. It's like a big blueprint for where everything goes on your computer and how it all fits together. Only computers running Windows operating systems have registries.

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