  |  By Mincom, on September 6th, 2010 Finding Software to Edit PDF Documents There used to be a time when all-important paperwork was issued or submitted in hard copies. In other words, you had to work with physical papers in order to get anything done. But the world has gone electronic, with Adobe’s portable document format becoming the preferred standard since it is able to handle complex forms so easily. That’s why instead of waiting for that critical piece of paper to be delivered by the post office, all you have to do now is check your email. One problem with the Adobe format is that you cannot automatically go in and edit pdf documents without getting some extra software first. This is because most people just have the reader version that is widely available online as a free download. Adobe Reader only allows you to view and print, which is obviously an obstacle to folks who need to [...] By Mincom, on June 6th, 2010 A Look at Java Programming Java is an object-oriented programming language that is modelled after C++. However, the advantage that Java has over other programming languages is the fact that it is designed to be small, portable and robust, making it accessible from many different platforms and operating systems. On the web, Java applications called applets can be created to be dynamic and interactive and can be embedded on a web page where users can use a Java-enabled browser (most browsers these days are Java enabled) to download and execute the Java code. Java programming however does not need to a browser. Programmers can create full-fledged application programs using Java to solve the same programming problems found in languages like C, C++ and Visual Basic. As mentioned, Java is platform-independent. This means that once a program has been written in Java and compiled, it can be run on any machine that supports Java. [...] By Mincom, on May 16th, 2010 Computer Protection – Hardware Firewalls The primary function of a firewall is to limit what goes in and out of computers on a network. With the ever-increasing danger from the internet, a firewall is an essential component of any network today. A hardware firewall is a physical device that is connected upstream to a server and offers better security that a software firewall can. Since this protection is done right at the server, a hardware firewall allows a server to concentrate on offering ‘good’ traffic rather than waste resources dealing with ‘bad’ traffic. In a busy network environment, this can significantly result in better network performance. Most hardware firewalls are routers. This means that they can be purchased as stand-alone products and only connected directly to a network where they act as the link between the internet and the network. If you have a broadband connection, then consider purchasing a broadband router. [...] By Mincom, on May 15th, 2010 Freelance programming in the U.S. after the fall Just over a decade ago high school counsellors, job training specialists and college career centres were all praising the security, abundance and high salaries of people trained as computer programmers. The market was tremendous, with technical web sites listing thousands of jobs for programmers of every ilk, C++, Java and even COBOL was still in demand. Just over a decade ago, the U.S. was also the leader of software development in the world, but then the unthinkable happened – offshoring of America’s powerhouse. Software and the jobs in programming were now all available at a tenth the wage to that wise country that saw the opportunity to undercut the American programmer, to India. By 2001, the 900,000 software jobs listed in a major programming jobs site was listing 28,000 nationwide. The permanent programmer’s jobs were all gone. Left behind was freelance programming for those [...] By Mincom, on April 25th, 2010 Skydrive – The Best Free File Hosting Service Out There? Oh goody! Microsoft has a new idea for its Live Cloud computing platform! Now if I could be given a dollar for every time Microsoft either tried to rename a service, rebrand it, add another me-too program or try to tell you that Live was now something so different, so new you had to check it out again, I would probably have tens of dollars. You begin to wonder, if they should just put Live out of its misery. No one really knows why Microsoft can’t make up its mind once and for all what Live is all about, but as far as I’m concerned, Live is the greatest free file hosting service on the planet and I don’t really care about the other stuff on Live (whatever they are). Instead of constantly trying a new avatar for Live, they would do well [...] By Mincom, on April 25th, 2010 Push Button Marketer – Automation Software For Internet Marketers. Automates Tasks Like Email, Writing, Creating Websites, Checking Stats, Blogging, Website Maintenance, Posting Ads, Research, Product Reviews, And So Much More. We’ve Cracked The Code To Getting More Done And Making More Money Online With Less Work. I had a look at ‘Push Button Marketer’ and purchased it to speed up the time I spend on my computer. Unfortunately this deal is only valued until the 30th of April and I decided to inform as many people as possible about it. Not only is it excellent value for money, software needed by everyone that has a computer to simplify many tasks, but you get private label rights (PLR) to sell it as well. Another reason that convinced me is that it is for a good cause. It is a deal definitely worth checking out! By Mincom, on April 24th, 2010 Most probably, you will experience at one point or another like most people that a virus has infected your computer. And like most people, you probably lack the expertise to remove said virus, making computer virus removal about as big a reach as, say, fixing your car’s transmission or tailoring a suit. It’s just a skill that’s beyond most of us lay people. Unfortunately, going to a professional for computer virus removal is a time consuming and often expensive solution. Yes, if you go to a professional, you can be sure that the virus will be removed, but it will cost you a dime or two. Or you can do it yourself. This is where the internet can be your friend. All it takes is some time, diligence, legwork and you can master the basics of computer virus removal by using free software and services provided by some of the largest, most [...] By Mincom, on April 17th, 2010 Academic Computing for the Humanities At first, academic computing, or the use of computers in academic endeavours and the humanities seem unlikely bedfellows – given their separate and distinct subject matter. Computers are typically associated with logical and mathematical operations, or so they have been perceived since their inception. True, the application of computers for entertainment purposes has brought the computer from the lofty, dignified and ethereal regions of the halls of knowledge to the less cerebral haunts of computer game arcades and teen bedrooms across the world. Still, the computer is regarded by most as a tool that, when put to serious use, serves mathematics and science best, not the humanities. Such an attitude is somewhat elitist, as if serving these more abstract regions were somehow of greater value to mankind then service to the humanities, the non-technical expression of the rest of man’s nature. In fact, academic computing has proven to [...]  | |
