ALFA 10 - 11 SAHC DOT COM

next best steps for you...

2010-06-23T17:55:00.000-07:00

You've been on the Get Better Grades eCourse for a while now.

Now that you know what focus on your grades can do, it's time to
take what I call your Next Best Step.

I've given you 6 modules absolutely FREE to show you how powerful
these strategies can be, now it's time for you to take one of the
next three options.

You have 3 choices:

*** Option 1 *** GET BETTER GRADES

Buy my bestselling e-book that has been translated into 3 languages
and used by students from 29 different countries from around the
world, in primary, secondary, high school, college and university.

It's Your Next Best Step and you can download it within the next
3 minutes

====================================================
Click here to download the bestselling
Get The Best Grades With The Least Amount Of Effort

http://www.Get-Better-Grades.com

=====================================================

*** Option 2 *** BECOME A SPEED LEARNER

Cut to the chase and get right into SPEED LEARNING with my 1-hour
Speed Learning techniques that will help you INSTANTLY - today or
tonight - RIGHT NOW. At your computer.

Consider it a 'Master Class' to give you the edge you need to get
better study habits that will relieve your stress and make school
work more enjoyable.

====================================================
Click here to access the video streaming program

http://www.SpeedLearningVideo.com

====================================================

*** Option 3 *** BECOME A SPEED READER

Become a Speed Reader within the next 2 hours - GUARANTEED. It's
the most powerful study strategy you can acquire. Imagine if you
ONLY doubled your reading speed...

That means you save HALF the time you currently spend reading.
Studies have shown that the AVERAGE high school student spends
10 hours a week reading and it's 15 to 20 hours for college and
University students.

That means you could save ONE HOUR A DAY.

ONE HOUR you can spend reviewing your notes, solving problems or
getting some sleep for a change!

I know what it's like being a student - I completed ALL of my
degrees FASTER than most students and my post-graduate degrees
were all done WHILE I WAS WORKING FULL TIME.

Speed Reading is the ONLY way I was able to get that done and not
kill myself doing it.

posted by bok miah

How to build study endurance and stamina

2010-06-23T17:54:00.000-07:00

Are you one of those people who always places more importance on
recreation rather than studying? Do you tend to put your studies
off until tomorrow?

If you are, who could blame you, because nobody in their right mind
would want to stay in studying, rather than having a fun night out
on the town with their friends!

But if you learn how to study smarter, it can make the study
experience all the more enjoyable.

As humans, we all prefer the fun things in life rather than the
monotonous chores we're faced with. The only problem though, is
that putting things off until the next day will nearly always
result in MORE STRESS!

Here are some tips that will help you to make study easier and more
effective, so you can study less and make more of your leisure time:

1. Write down and maintain a "Study Priority List"

A list not only helps to ensure you don't forget anything, it also
allows you to work through tasks in a logical order.

2. Do the worst jobs first.

While many people like to get the small, easy tasks out of the way
first, before tackling the big important ones, in reality it works
the other way around. Providing you tackle all the worst jobs
first, the small jobs will be a breeze and before you know it,
you'll have quality free time on your hands.

Learning how to attack the big stuff first takes a bit of willpower
to start with. Make a conscious effort to do it for just 7 days
and chances are, you'll never go back.

3. Block out time to tackle specific tasks

Likewise, if you have a specific task which you know will take
longer than average, make a commitment to tackle it at a certain
time and make sure you've set aside enough time to do it.

And remember - what works for someone else may not work for you.
In Chapter 5 of "Get the Best Grades with the Least Amount of
Effort", I explain why this is and what to do about it.

posted by akmal

Kelas, do you study a foreign language?

2010-06-23T17:53:00.001-07:00

Do you study a foreign language?

Foreign language learning is typically associated with a heap of
rote learning, memorizing vocabulary and all sorts of obscure
grammar rules...

No wonder most people give up on foreign languages before they
get good enough to make it "interesting".

Well, the other day I came across a course called "Rocket Languages"
that is hands-down the best way I've seen to learn a foreign
language, without boring yourself to tears.

I signed up to the free introductory lessons in Spanish, and
before you know it my very rusty Spanish started to come flooding
back.

If you're already studying a foreign language, or you've always
wanted to pick one up, now is your chance. Below are the links
to the most popular Rocket Language courses.

(On each page, down the right hand side of the page, there is a free
introductory course signup option).

Pick a language below:

SPANISH
http://3702155-9m-7v7-jxmbjvniz7i.hop.clickbank.net/

FRENCH
http://6c64f6166qt46c5prfflg1eo26.hop.clickbank.net/

JAPANESE
http://60513-3z4m6xwj4gxw41q91ca3.hop.clickbank.net/

CHINESE
http://65793923wdwz3izjo4ldkipldg.hop.clickbank.net/

ITALIAN
http://8c69aby72ltz-jvbwrkhrzok2z.hop.clickbank.net/

GERMAN
http://a3d4az2-vkx27d-cq748mb9u49.hop.clickbank.net/

I promise you, this will be the easiest way you've seen to become
fluent in a foreign language you've ever seen.

posted by ikhwan

How to read 6 times faster on screen

2010-06-23T17:52:00.000-07:00

By now you know that my speed study strategies are all about
how to get the BEST grades with the LEAST amount of effort.

NOT the best grades with the MOST amount of effort -- what would be
the sense in that? If you like working hard for its own sake, you
already know what to do -- just do MORE of what you're already doing.

But if you want to get better results with LESS effort, then you
need to adopt better STRATEGIES for learning and absorbing
information.

For example, do you know how fast the average person reads on
a computer screen?

100 to 150 words per minute.

I read 900 or more words per minute on screen - 6 to 9 times faster
than most people. And that's not because I'm any smarter than other
people. It's all thanks to a better strategy that I came across
about a year ago.

The strategy I use is software program called "Rapid
Reader". Rapid Reader crunches screen-based text (whether PDF,
MS Word, HTML (web) format) and makes it very easy and comfortable
to read at HIGH SPEED on screen.

You ALREADY know how to read at super-high speed, with a little
help from Rapid Reader. I'll prove it to you with this demo:

=====================================================

Try It Right Now: Read at 600 Words Per Minute

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IrZOvrCh2Yw <-- go here

=====================================================

See how EASY that was?

You just read 4 to 6 times faster than your other classmates, with
no additional effort (in fact, many people find Rapid Reader easier
than normal screen reading, because you don't have to move your
eyes so much).

The way Rapid Reader works is very simple.

Once installed, all you do is press a button on your screen and it
automatically converts the text into "Rapid Reader" format.

It is brilliant for absorbing large chunks of Wikipedia text or
long web pages, without having to print, and without having to
read and re-read each line like most people.

I was so blown away by Rapid Reader that I contacted the company
and asked them to make the software available to my clients and
friends on a preferential basis.

The price is under $50, but heck, if this tool can immediately
make your reading speed 400% faster, that's a tiny price to pay.
After all, this is a skill you can use for the rest of your life!

posted by faidhi

How to highlight for maximum retention and results

2010-06-23T17:49:00.000-07:00

Do you use a highlighter when you speed read? Have you ever highlighted so much 'important' stuff that you end up highlighting more of the page than not? Have you ever wondered 'how do I know what is worth highlighting and what's not'?

I've done the same, myself. In fact, I used to highlight a lot of what I read on the page - not being sure what was really important and what was just important.

Until one delay realised that I was wasting my time and not really remembering much of what I highlighted anyway. On top of that, the stuff that I did highlight was often not even in the test!

The reason for this is because the FIRST time you read and highlight anything, it's hard for you to know what's important and what's not. Plus, you end up reading slower and you highlight more often. And that's if you read normally!

When you speed read AND highlight, chances are that your reading speed will be slower than your usual speed and you will highlight two or three times more. Which means you'll waste a lot of time reviewing and highlighting.

Because I know this, I advise students who learn to do speed reading to NOT highlight while speed reading something for the first time. And here's why...

When you read anything for the first time, it's only when you finish the chapter that its meaning becomes obvious to you. You then understand what the important bits are that you will need to remember (and highlight) and you will be able to recognise these points in the text.

More than likely, also, these important bits may have been different than what you would have highlighted when you started reading.

Now, I'll tell you what works best for me and for thousands of other students. These strategies I teach take time to implement, and the key is to TRUST them as you apply them.

* When CHOOSING to highlight something, you need to trust your instincts - to highlight LESS than you THINK you should...
* Highlight ONLY those items you feel you're not going to remember automatically. Yes, I know this takes judgment on your part.
* You have to trust yourself. Start with MORE highlights and REDUCE them as you get better at CHOOSING what to highlight.
* You'll soon know what you MUST highlight versus what you WANT to highlight. These are not often the same thing.
* You can TEST what I suggest - sometimes highlight WHILE you are speed reading and then AFTER... You determine what works best for you.
* IF you are the EXCEPTION, that's OK - DO what works for you, but DO IT because it works, not because you THINK it works.
* To KNOW IT WORKS, you have to track your time and comprehension BOTH ways, otherwise it's a value judgment and chances are you will be biased and wrong in your self-assessment.

posted by syahmi 0thman

How to study subjects you HATE

2010-06-23T17:47:00.000-07:00

The first is you THINK you are interested in the subject matter,
but the reality is you're not. If you were, you'd have no trouble
starting. I'll prove it to you.

If you are a stamp collector and you start to read about the new
issue of the new Olympic Stamps for the London Games - you have no
problem with focus, attention or retention do you?

That's because you're INTERESTED.

The challenge we all have as students is that every academic
program has courses we don't like. I remember hating Thermodynamics
in Engineering School, Chemistry in College and Multi-variate
Statistics in Business School (Ph.D.).

But y'know what?

YOU DON'T HAVE A CHOICE. It's part of the curriculum and you have
to pass the course to get the diploma and the degree.

I suggest you do THAT homework FIRST. Get it out of the way. DON'T
DO WHAT YOU LIKE FIRST. That is a recipe for disastrous grades - it
will increase your chance of failure BECAUSE you'll spend MORE time
on what you like and not enough time on what you don't like...

Don't do it.

Of course, that's easier said than done. But if you start studying
what you don't like, you'll feel RELIEF and a LOT LESS STRESS.

We all have to study stuff we don't like - we NEED TO. We need to
be aware of things because that's what education is all about.
There is NOTHING you can do about it, EXCEPT to get it out of the
way FIRST and QUICKLY.

If you want to get through the boring subjects quickly, get your
hands on my "Speed Reading Video Program" so you spend LESS time on
the subjects you hate.

[ Read more about it at http://www.SpeedReadingVideo.com ]

Speed Reading forces you to focus and concentrate and get it out of
the way in a fraction of the time. Imagine spend HALF the time on
chemistry, physics or geography... How cool would that be?!?

That being said, the SECOND issue you have is with confidence and
self-esteem.

That is a lot harder to deal with. If you are keen to
deal with this, I have a colleague who can help you get a
breakthrough. Her name is Yvonne McIntosh and she offers
"Breakthrough Sessions" for $97 that she can do over the phone or
Skype. She's based in Australia but deals with clients from all
over the World.

Visit her website if you want to overcome the self-esteem issue
quickly:

http://lifeleaders.com.au/breakthrough.html

If you don't choose to have the "Breakthrough Session", all you
need to do is stop putting pressure on yourself and focus on the
fact that whenever you LEARN something NEW, it's by definition
something YOU DON'T KNOW.

It takes time and effort to learn something NEW.

One of the strategies I teach is to start at the beginning. For
example, for Statistics, I bought a book called "The Cartoon Guide
To Statistics" to get the basics in a FUN WAY.

I bought this as a Graduate School Student to help me with my MBA
and Ph.D. courses.

I'm serious. I did the same for other subjects as well.
The "For Dummies" series of books is a great place to start
whenever you're intimidated with a subject.

posted by goat

Melt away stress by beating procrastination

2010-06-23T17:44:00.000-07:00

Procrastination is a problem that wastes more time than any other
study "habit". Procrastinators know it's a BIG problem, but they
often find it hard to break the habit.

This edition of the "Get The Best Grades With The Least Amount
Of Effort" gives some practical solutions for kissing goodbye
to procrastination.

** How to melt away stress by beating procrastination **

We all procrastinate, but higher achieving students do it much
less and therefore get better grades with much less effort.

Overcoming procrastination requires that you KNOW WHY you're
procrastinating.

One of the top reasons is that you MAGNIFY a problem or "To Do" item
automatically, without knowing it. You actually make the problem
bigger than it actually is!

I'll prove it to you - just try the tasks below:

* Firstly, make a list of 10 things you NEED TO DO this/next week

* Secondly, make a list of 10 things you DID last week.

Now compare the two lists. I guarantee you that your TO DO list for
this/next week looks HARDER and LONGER TO DO than your previous
week's list, even though it is similar.

Am I right? So how do you get around this?

It's simple, if you follow my easy strategy.

Chunk down your "To Dos" into EASY, DIGESTIBLE PIECES...

You know the joke, "How do you eat an elephant? ... One bite at a
time". I explain this in more detail in my book,

http://www.get-better-grades.com/

but right now,make a list like the one below and see how it feels
to chunk it down.

For example:

"Study for Physics" can be broken down into:

* Rearrange my lab reports, class notes and other documents
* Read Chapters 16, 17 and 18
* Highlight the chapters and extract the key points
* Research last week's lab subject to better understand it for the
exam
* Review last year's midterm exam question
* Re-write my notes and create a MindMap
* Keep my physical desktop clean with ONLY what I am
studying
* Remove unnecessary trinkets and paperweights on my desk
* Straighten out my books so the bookshelf looks neat
* Dust, clean or wash my desk/table

[Note: Having a clutter-free study space is VERY IMPORTANT!]

You get the picture. The thing is UNLESS you deal with this
magnification problem, you'll keep hesitating and procrastinating
about things you really need to get done to make your study time
more effective. You can't get top grades unless you do what needs
to be done.

By making things look SMALLER,EASIER and QUICKER to do, you'll get
MORE done, yes, with LESS effort! But more importantly you'll get
more confidence and your stress levels will go down - WAY DOWN.

Just remember - you are the one HOLDING the magnifying glass!

This tip is just a starting point - many, many more study
strategies are revealed in more detail in my book "Get the Best
Grades with the Least Amount of Effort"

http://www.get-better-grades.com/

I'll continue to keep you updated with occasional strategies and
tips to help free up your time so you can be higher up the class
with less hard work.

Onward and upward!
Dr Marc Dussault

posted by Abra

How to approach essay questions with ease

2010-06-23T17:43:00.001-07:00

Essay style exams are becoming increasingly popular in both job and
college applications. This is because essays show an applicant's
ability to think logically and clearly. If you're going to be a
taking an exam like this, keep these 7 things in mind to help
improve your score.

1. Read Each Question Carefully

When you're working on an essay style exam, take a look at each
question and determine the topic and type of answer needed. Read
the question very carefully. Often, test takers simply scan
questions and then start writing, thinking that they'll save time.

However, that's the worst thing you can do. Take a few minutes to
completely understand the question so you can answer it correctly.
If you need to, circle the key words in the question so you can
glance at it every so often to make sure you stay on topic.

2. Give Your Ideas Room to Flow

When you first sit down and begin to read the question or
questions, you might start thinking of responses right away. That's
fine. Take a moment to jot these ideas down the margin of your test
booklet. Use short phrases or even single words that will help you
remember your initial thoughts. Doing this will help you release
creativity and clarity that you might otherwise spend on
remembering your original thoughts. Because you have these thoughts
written down, you can simply let go of them. Just take a moment to
capture every thought that comes into your mind as you read through
the questions.

3. Use the Stress

It's natural to experience elevated stress during an exam as you
work hard to process information faster than usual. Even so, you
can use this to your advantage. Focus completely on the test before
you and tune out any other noises or distractions in the room. If
you focus completely, you'll have a much better chance of saying
exactly what you want. Stress can help you think and form logical
thoughts faster when you're working. So accept the stress as a
positive, and let it work for you.

4. Use an Outline

On average, it takes about 2 minutes to outline an essay and that is
time very well spent. Once you thoroughly understand the question
and have jotted down a few immediate thoughts, sketch an outline
for the essay to follow. The subheadings of the outline will turn
into the first sentences of your paragraphs, saving you time and
making it easy to establish a logical progression of thought.

5. Control Any Urges To Ramble

Using an outline will also prevent you from rambling. The person
who will be reading your essays has been trained to spot rambling.
Stay focused at all times and use your outline as a guide. State
your key points and move on. Don't elaborate on the topic just to
fill up white space on the paper.

6. Time's Up

When the allowable time is up, immediately stop and go on to the
next question. Don't waste any time putting the "finishing
touches" on your essay. You may need this time to complete the
remaining questions. The questions might even be getting
progressively harder so you need to force yourself to move on.

7. Finishing

You may not be satisfied with your finished essay and this is a
completely normal response. Essay-style tests don't have definitive
answers, like multiple choice tests do. Keep in mind that the
scorers of your essays understand the time limits you were under
and therefore are not looking for perfection. You will be scored on
your progression of ideas and the ability to communicate your key
points. Stay focused during the exam and you will finish well.

For more study strategies that get results in the real world, get
my book, "Get the Best Grades with the Least Amount of Effort" at

http://www.get-better-grades.com/

Onward and upward!
Dr Marc Dussault

posted by naq

Read Before You Go To Class

2010-06-23T17:27:00.002-07:00

Reading the course material before you go to class is a simple way to absorb, understand and remember the material with much less time and effort OVERALL than you otherwise would. Most people go to class and are hearing the content for the first time. They may not be familiar with some keywords or technical terms. They spend most of the time getting their head around all this new material as they struggle to put it into a logical order or "framework".
Once that framework is in place, they begin to actually UNDERSTAND the material being taught. When the class is over, this process is often incomplete. So how can they begin to study or reinforce what they never understood in the first place! They can't -- it takes MUCH more time to revise partially - understood material, resulting in poorer study efficiency and results.
Consider the alternative: When you briefly read the course material prior to your class, you start to become familiar with the concepts. You come across newwords and terminology. You look at a few sample questions. You might even make a couple of notes of questions to ask. Then when you get into class, everything seems familiar. You're hearing everything for the second time and you begin to remember and reinforce key points. Then you leave the class with a pretty good understanding of the topic. It takes much less time to revise and review information, and you have plenty of time to read ahead of the next class!
Try it. Read ahead before going to class and see how much EASIER everything becomes.
Posted by: Pak G
Note:
This writing was mailed by: Dr Marc Dussault

Getting The Best Grades

2010-06-23T17:27:00.001-07:00

Pak G found an url (http://www.get-better-grades.com/) on tips how to get good grades with the least effort last April. Pak G gave our class e-mail so that Dr Marc Dussault can e-mail the tips. A number of e-mail came into our in-box. On of them is as follow (I made some editing):
The first strategy on Getting The Best Grades With The Least Amount Of Effort is "How NOT to Focus Your Energies on Important AND Urgent Tasks."
Have you ever found that you actually get the most work done when you have the least time to do it? Do you find yourself NOT completing the work you're supposed to do, when you have ample time to get it done? But then when you're given short sharp bursts of urgent timelines, you excel above and beyond what you ever expected? If you can identify with any of these situations, you'll definitelyVbenefit from managing your tasks using the "Urgent/Important" model.
There are four kinds of tasks: (1) Not Important and Not Urgent; (2) Not Important and Urgent (3) Important and Not Urgent; (4) Urgent and Important. If you spend time on the WRONG type of task at the WRONG time, all you'll do is escalate your stress and reduce your results. On the other hand, if you learn how to deal with each category of task, you'll get better results across the board while also making the urgency "work for you".
Here are a few scenarios so you can see for yourself how to treat different types of tasks to MAXIMIZE your results.
1. "Not Important and Not Urgent"
Example: You have a book report to hand in at the end of the semester. It'll take you 10 to 12 hours to read the book and 4 to 5 hours to write the report. You have 3 months and it's worth 10% of your final grade. You should get started as soon as possible so it doesn't become urgent and create unnecessary stress.
2. "Not Important But Urgent"
Example: You have a quiz tomorrow but you haven't reviewed anything. It's worth 5% but you need every mark you can get. You should have done this in-between other things when you had thetime. Now you will feel stress and anxiety that could have easily been avoided... "Cramming" becomes the only option, and it has been proven that cramming is far more STRESSFUL and far less EFFECTIVE than the strategies I reveal in:http://www.get-better-grades.com
3. "Important But Not Urgent"
Example: You have a project that is worth 35% of your final mark. It's due in a month and you estimate it will take you 20-25 hoursto complete. Once agains, what you want to do is avoid rushing and trying tocomplete the project at the last minute. You want to scale down thetasks into smaller bite-size chunks to make it easier to getstarted as soon as possible.
4. "Important and Urgent"
Example: You have a final exam in two days, it's worth 70% of yourfinal grade. You haven't put in enough time - so much new material to cover you just don't know where to start. Panic starts to set in. This is *not* where you want to be spending your time. You want tospend as much time as possible on the *important but not urgent*issues. Of course, this takes planning and preparation (plus better strategies for getting the best results with the least amount of effort).
Posted by:
Pak G

What Is Computer Hacking??

2010-04-24T05:00:00.001-07:00

Computer hacking is most common among teenagers and young adults, although there are many older hackers as well. Many hackers are true technology buffs who enjoy learning more about how computers work and consider computer hacking an “art” form. They often enjoy programming and have expert-level skills in one particular program. For these individuals, computer hacking is a real life application of their problem-solving skills. It’s a chance to demonstrate their abilities, not an opportunity to harm others.

Since a large number of hackers are self-taught prodigies, some corporations actually employ computer hackers as part of their technical support staff. These individuals use their skills to find flaws in the company’s security system so that they can be repaired quickly. In many cases, this type of computer hacking helps prevent identity theft and other serious computer-related crimes.

Computer hacking can also lead to other constructive technological developments, since many of the skills developed from hacking apply to more mainstream pursuits. For example, former hackers Dennis Ritchie and Ken Thompson went on to create the UNIX operating system in the 1970s. This system had a huge impact on the development of Linux, a free UNIX-like operating system. Shawn Fanning, the creator of Napster, is another hacker well known for his accomplishments outside of computer hacking.

In comparison to those who develop an interest in computer hacking out of simple intellectual curiosity, some hackers have less noble motives. Hackers who are out to steal personal information, change a corporation’s financial data, break security codes to gain unauthorized network access, or conduct other destructive activities are sometimes called “crackers.” This type of computer hacking can earn you a trip to a federal prison for up to 20 years.

If you are interested in protecting your home computer against malicious hackers, investing in a good firewall is highly recommended. It’s also a good idea to check your software programs for updates on a regular basis. For example, Microsoft offers a number of free security patches for its Internet Explorer browser.

What is antivirus software?

2010-03-16T03:08:00.000-07:00

Antivirus software is a computer program that detects, prevents, and takes action to disarm or remove malicious software programs, such as viruses and worms. You can help protect your computer against viruses by using antivirus software, such as Avira, AVG,Norton, Avast and many more.
Computer viruses are software programs that are deliberately designed to interfere with computer operation, record, corrupt, or delete data, or spread themselves to other computers and throughout the Internet.

To help prevent the most current viruses, you must update your antivirus software regularly. You can set up most types of antivirus software to update automatically.

What is SPYWARE ?????

2010-03-14T20:38:00.001-07:00

Spyware is a general term used to describe software that performs certain behaviors such as advertising, collecting personal information, or changing the configuration of your computer, generally without appropriately obtaining your consent first.

Spyware is often associated with software that displays advertisements (called adware) or software that tracks personal or sensitive information.

That does not mean all software that provides ads or tracks your online activities is bad. For example, you might sign up for a free music service, but you "pay" for the service by agreeing to receive targeted ads. If you understand the terms and agree to them, you may have decided that it is a fair tradeoff. You might also agree to let the company track your online activities to determine which ads to show you.

Other kinds of spyware make changes to your computer that can be annoying and can cause your computer slow down or crash.

These programs can change your Web browser's home page or search page, or add additional components to your browser you don't need or want. These programs also make it very difficult for you to change your settings back to the way you originally had them.

The key in all cases is whether or not you (or someone who uses your computer) understand what the software will do and have agreed to install the software on your computer.

There are a number of ways spyware or other unwanted software can get on your computer. A common trick is to covertly install the software during the installation of other software you want such as a music or video file sharing program.

Whenever you install something on your computer, make sure you carefully read all disclosures, including the license agreement and privacy statement. Sometimes the inclusion of unwanted software in a given software installation is documented, but it might appear at the end of a license agreement or privacy statement.

What is a computer virus???

2010-03-14T20:12:00.000-07:00

Computer viruses are small software programs that are designed to spread from one computer to another and to interfere with computer operation.
A virus might corrupt or delete data on your computer, use your e-mail program to spread itself to computers, or even erase everything on your hard disk.
Computer viruses are often spread by attachments in e-mail massages or instant messaging messages. That is why it is essential that you never open e-mail attachments unless you know who it’s from and you are expecting it.
Viruses can be disguised as attachments of funny images, greeting cards or audio and video files.
Computer viruses also spread through downloads on the Internet. They can be hidden in illicit software or other files or programs that you might download.
To help avoid computer viruses, it’s essential that you keep your computer current with he latest updates and antivirus tools, stay informed about recent threat, run your computer as a standard user (not as administrator), and that you follow a few basic rules when you surf the Internet, download files and open attachments.
Once a virus is on your computer, its type or the method it used to get there is not as important as removing it and preventing further infection.
Once a virus is on your computer, its type or the method it used to get there is not as important as removing it and preventing further infection.

On 'The Social Network & Email

2010-03-04T20:25:00.000-08:00

Below are some informations that are related on the social network and email. Hope u enjoy it.

1.73 billion:

internet users worldwide(september 2009).

Number of internet users:

738,257,230(in Asia)

252,908,000(in North America)

179,031,479 (in Latin America/Caribbean)

20,970,490 (in Oceania/Australia)

67,371,700 (in Africa)

418,029,796 (in Europe)

90 trilion:

the number of email sent on internet in 2009

247 billion:

average number of emails per day

200 billion:

average number of SPAM emails per day

1.4 billion:

the number of email users worldwide

81%:

the percentage of emails that were SPAM

234 million:

the number of website as of December 2009

126 million:

the number of blogs on the internet (as tracked by BlogPUlse)

84%:

percent of social network sites with more women than men

27.3 million:

number of tweets on twitter on twitter per day (November 2009)

4.25 million:

people following @aplusk (Ashton Kutcher,Twitter's most followed user).

Facebook server 260 billion page views per month. That's more than 6 million page views per minute, or a staggering 37.4 trillion page views in a years

Page views per month

facebook=260 billion

myspace=24 billion

twitter=4.4 billion

linkedln=1.9 billion

Facebook needs as many as 30,000 servers,and they're still growing

350 million people on facebook

2.5 billion photos uploaded each month to facebook

30 billion at the current rate the number of photos uploaded to facebook per year

1 billion the total number of videos YouTube servers in one day.

148,000 new zombie computer*created per day *used in botnets for sendind spam,etc.

2.6 million amount of malicious code threats at the start of 2009(viruses,trojans,etc.)

by..

-l=ul)z!l_ a.k.a mpotatoes-

1.4.1.4 : Display cooperation in conducting study.

2010-03-04T06:58:00.000-08:00

Cooperation in conducting study can be display through delegation of works among team members. Delegation is the ability to assign tasks to others with the authority, responsibility and accountability to finish the tasks. It is not enough to just give out orders but as a team leader you also need to give specific instructions on what to do. Tell your team members that they are responsible for the task given to them and explain to them what would happen to the project if they failed to finish the task.

1.4.1.3 : Present results in a clear, concise manner.

2010-03-04T06:55:00.000-08:00

A good presentation should contain three well-defined sections, they are:

Introduction

is at the beginning of the research
includes the objectives of the research
provides a clear statement on why the study was undertaken
includes the limitations/assumptions and analytical techniques

Content

§ consists of facts or arguments related to subject matter

§ can be presented in an argument format or just as an overview

Conclusion

§ is a review of content (not repetition of content)

§ relates to the statement of objectives in the introduction

§ should not introduce new issues

§ should contain judgment or decision that has been reached

1.4.1.2 : Describe the impact of ICT on society

2010-03-04T06:45:00.000-08:00

The computer has change the society. People interacts directly with computer in education, finance, government, health care, science, publishing, tourism, and industry.

Computers help them to do their work faster and more efficient.

Home & Education

Today, computers are used in schools, colleges and universities to promote better education. Students use software packages to complete their assignments. Educators use the computer-based training and web-based training as replacements for lecture presentation.

Computers for Higher Education

Open Distance Learning or online learning can be implemented as computers can act as the main medium of delivering from one location to the other locations. This type of learning consists of online forum, discussion, quizzes, test questions and many more. The example of the Open Distance Learning institution is the Open University of Malaysia.

Business

People use finance or accounting software to balance check books, pay bills, track personal income and expenses, manage investments and evaluate their financial plans. Accounting software helps companies to record and report their financial transactions.

Computers in Banking

IMany financial institutions offer online banking. People can access their financial records from anywhere in the world. One example is the Maybank2u. Most of the packages offer a variety of online services which requires access to the web. For example we can track our investment online, compare insurance rates and do online banking.

Industry

By using the CAM system, computers record actual labour, material, machine and computer time used to manufacture a particular product. Computers process this data and automatically update inventory, production, payroll and accounting records on the company’s network. Examples of companies using this system are Proton and Perodua.

Graphics & Multimedia

Computers are crucial in the process of making works available to the public. These works include magazines, books, newspapers, music and film production. Special software applications are used to assist graphic designers to develop graphics, texts, photographs and composing songs.

Communication

Government provides society with direction by making and administering policies. Most government offices or agencies have websites in order to provide citizens with the latest information. Examples of software applications used for communication include e-mail, web browsers, newsgroups, instant messaging and video conferencing. We can access government websites to:

check information on taxes (www.hasil.org.my)
pay parking tickets and check summons (www.jpj.gov.my)
register online for IPTA/IPTS application (www.moe.gov.my)

Computers in Tourism

Today, people will go online to get all related information about traveling. They can visit websites to get information on destinations, prices, hotels, flights, rentals, purchase ticket online, all payments can be made by using credit card.

Computers in the Healthcare

In the medical field, computers are very important in running the operations. Medical staffs use computers for various purposes, namely:

maintaining patient records
monitoring patients’ vital sign
assisting doctors, nurses and technicians with medical tests by using computer and computerised devices .
using medical software to help with researching and diagnosing health conditions.

Furthermore, computers and the internet are important sources for people to get all information on medical, nutrition, fitness and other tips from several available websites. The latest development in the medical field is telemedicine which help professional to conduct live conference in separate locations.

Science

In the scientific world, computers are used in all fields from biology to astronomy to meteorology and others. Things that can be done by computers, namely:

collecting, analyzing and modelling data
serving as medium of communication with colleagues around the world
contributing to new inventions or breakthrough in surgery, medicine and treatment
imitating functions of the central nervous system, retina of the eye and others by tiny computers
allowing a deaf person to listen through cochlear implant

1.4.1.1 : Locating Information From Various Sources

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information that we want in books, journals, articles or other resource materials found in the library and the Internet. A list of all the books, journals and electronic materials are available from the library. We can use the online databases to find the most useful materials.
Anyway, any materials need to be evaluated in four aspects. They are relevance, reliability/credibility, perspective & update.

1.3.3.2 : Applying the Correct Security Procedures

2010-03-04T05:21:00.000-08:00

Data Protection:
We need to protect the data as it may somehow get lost or corrupted due to some viruses or mishap like fire, flood, lightning, machine failures and even human errors. Ways to protect the information:
• make backup files
• detect the virus and clean the computer
• warn others on virus attacks
Detecting Illegal Access To Systems:
The computer system detects any illegal access to the system. Tcpwrappers and tripwire are often used to detect any illegal access. User's access will be reviewed periodically (internal audits) by computer operations. It is to ensure detection of violations of security and unauthorised modifications to software and data .
Tcpwrappers:
Control access at the application level, rather than at the socket level like iptables and ipchains. The system will run tcpwrappers to log access to ftp, tftp, rch, rlogin, rexec and telnet.
Tripwire:
Detect and report on any changes in the thousands of strategic system files. The system will run tripwire to determine if system files have changed.
Preventing Illegal Access To Systems:
Computer systems would not allow any unauthorised users to simply access the system. Ways:
· Run anlpassword to make password cracking difficult.
· Run tcpwrappers to check if the name for an ip address can be provided by DNC
· Use a callback system to prevent unauthorised use of stolen passwords.
Preventing Illegal Root Acces:
To prevent we should have Sudo (Superuser do) so that people can perform on some machine without getting access to the entire root if that is not required. With Sudo we did not have to give out the root password.
Sudo is a program in Unix, Linux and similar operating systems such as Mac OS X that allows users to run programs in the form of another user. Sudo allows a permitted user to execute a command as the superuser or another user, as specified in the sudoers file.
Patch:
Patch supplies small updates to software, provided that the source code is available. It is a UNIX utility. It applies a script generated by the different program to a set of files that allows changes from one file to be directly applied to another file. Resources are not enough to patch all security holes that we hear about through the bugtraq list.

1.3.2.1 : Threats to Computer Security

2010-03-04T05:20:00.000-08:00

Malicious Code:
Also known as a rogue program. It will cause undesired effects in the programmer’s part. The effect is caused by an agent, with the intention to cause damage. The agent for malicious code is the writer of the code who causes its distribution. Various kinds of malicious code include virus, Trojan horse, logic door, trapdoor and backdoor, worm and many others.
Hacking:
Unauthorised access to the computer system. Hackers are persons who learn about the computer system in detail. They write program referred to as hacks. Hackers may use a modem or cable to hack the targeted computers.
Natural Disaster:
Threatened by natural or environmental disaster. Eg: Flood, Fire, Earthquakes, storms and tornados, Excessive Heat and Inadequate Power Supply
Theft:
Two types of computer theft:
1. Computer is used to steal money, goods, information and resources.
2. Stealing of computer, especially notebook and PDAs.

-mpotatoes-

1.3.1.1: Defination of Computer Security

2010-03-04T05:19:00.001-08:00

Protecting our computer systems & the information they contain against unwanted access, damage, destruction or modification. Types of computer security are:

1. hardware security
2. software security/data security
3. network security
Computers need to be protect from any intruders such as hackers, crackers and script kiddie.

1.2.4.2 : Computer Crimes

2010-03-04T05:15:00.000-08:00

Fraud:
Having an intention to take advantage over or causing loss to other people. It includes e-mail hoaxes, programme fraud, investment schemes, sales promotions & claims of expertise. We need to be aware of other computer frauds such as health frauds, scams and hacking. We will also most likely get false information.
Copyright Infringement:
A violation of the rights secured by a copyright. It involves illegal copy or reproduction of copyrights material by the black market group. The open commercial sale of pirated item is also illegal. Currently, the most perfect copy of the original copy can be downloaded.
Theft:
The unauthorised use of another person’s property with the intention to deny the owner the rightful possession of that property or its use. Eg:

transfer of payments to the wrong accounts
tap into data transmission lines on database at no cost
divert goods to the wrong destination

Attacks:
Any activities taken to disrupt the equipment of computer systems, change processing control or corrupt stored data. It can be in the forms of:

physical attack that disrupt the computer facility or its transmission lines.
an electronic attack that uses the power of electromagnetic energy to overload computer circuitry.
a computer network attack that uses a malicious code to exploit a weakness in software, or in the computer security practices of a computer user.

1.2.4.1 Explain the need for Cyber Law.

2010-03-04T05:14:00.000-08:00

Cyber Law is needed as many concerns and issues were raised on the integrity and security of information, legal status of online transactions, privacy and confidentiality of information, intellectual property rights and security of government data placed on the Internet.

1.2.3.2 Describe the process of filtering to control access to controversial contents.

2010-03-04T05:13:00.001-08:00

Internet filtering is a process that prevents or blocks access to certain materials on the Internet. It is a process of controlling the access by means of filtering software. It is used to prevent user from accessing inappropriate material and to keep employees productive.

The preferred method of choice to limit access is to filter content either by:

· keyword blocking

· site blocking

· web rating systems

These methods require software to be installed at a client of server level.

1.2.3.1 List effects of controversial contents on society:

2010-03-04T05:11:00.000-08:00

Pornography can:

lead to criminal acts such as exploitation of women and children
lead to sexual addiction or perversion
develop low moral value towards other men, women or children
erode good religious, cultural and social beliefs and behaviour

Slander can:

develop into a society that disregards honesty and truth
develop bad habit of spreading untruths and rumours
lead to unnecessary argument
cause people to have negative attitudes towards another person

1.2.2. State authentication & verification methods/ technologies.

2010-03-04T04:57:00.000-08:00

Methods of Authentication

Two commonly used methods are biometric device and callback system.

Biometric device is a device that translates personal characteristics into a digital code that is compared with a digital code stored in the database. Biometric devices include Fingerprint Recognition, Facial Recognition, Hand Geogmetry, Iris Scanning, Retinal Scanning, Voice Recognition & Signature Verification.
Callback system refers to the checking system that authenticates the user.

Methods of Verification

There are two methods used, which are user identification and processed object.
- User identification refers to the process of validating the user.
- Processed object refers to something the user has such as identification card, security token and cell phone.

1.2.2.1 List ways to protect privacy.

2010-03-04T04:56:00.000-08:00

Privacy can be protected by privacy law and utilities software:

(a) Privacy Law - Malaysia emphasises on the following:

Security Services to review the security policy
Security Management to protect the resources
Security Mechanism to implement the required security services
Security Objects, the important entities within the system environment

(b) Utilities software

Example: anti-spam program, firewall, anti-spyware and antivirus.

1.2.1.3 State the need for intellectual property laws.

2010-03-04T04:42:00.000-08:00

There are four types of Intellectual Property protection. They are patents for invention, trademarks for brand identity, designs for product appearance and copyright for material. Intellectual property laws are needed:

to establish & safeguard the intellectual property which refers to works created by inventors, authors and artists.
as businesses today continue to expand globally.

1.2.1.2 : Differentiate between ethics and law.

2010-03-03T16:27:00.000-08:00

ETHICS
Guideline: As a guideline to computer users.
Moral Standards: Ethical behaviour is judged by moral standards.
Free To Follow: Computer users are free to follow or ignore the code of ethics.
No Punishments: No punishment for anyone who violates ethics
Universals: Universal, can be applied anywhere, all over the world
Produce Ethical Computer Users: To produce ethical computer users.
Immoral: Not honouring computer ethics means ignoring the moral elements (immoral).

LAW
Control: As a rule to control computer users.
Judicial Standards: Law is judged by judicial standards.
Must Follow: Computer users must follow the regulations and law.
Punishments: Penalties, imprisonments and other punishments for those who break the law.
Depends On Country: Depends on where the crime is committed.
Prevent Misusing Of Computers: To prevent misuse of computers.
Crime: Not honouring the law means committing a crime.

1.2.1.1 : Define Computer Ethics, Code of Ethics, Intellectual Property, Privacy, Computer Crime & Cyber Law.

2010-03-01T16:56:00.000-08:00

1. FASTER COMMUNICATION SPEED
News or messages are sent via e-mail to anyone efficiently. Any information can travel fast and at an instant. It saves time and is inexpensive.
2. LOWER COMMUNICATION COST
It is cost-effective than other modes of communication. It allows access to large amounts of data at a very low cost. We do not have to pay for any basic services provided by the Internet.
3. RELIABLE MODE OF COMMUNICATION
It is reliable mode of communication. Information could be accessed and retrieved from anywhere and at anytime.
4. EFFECTIVE SHARING OF INFORMATION
Information, news & opinion can be shared all around the world through discussion groups, mailing list and forums. It contributes to the development of knowledge based society.
5. PAPERLESS ENVIRONMENT
Created the term paperless environment. Information can be stored & retrieved through the digital medium instead of paper. Online communication via emails, online chat and instant messaging also helps in creating the paperless environment.
6. BORDERLESS COMMUNICATION
Internet has become a borderless sources for services, information & communication. It offers fast information retrieval, interactivity, accessibility and versatility.
7. SOCIAL PROBLEMS
It has created social problems. People tend to choose online communication rather than having real time conversations. People become more individualistic and introvert. Another negative effect are fraud, theft, pornography & hacking. This will result a moral decedent and generate threads to the society.
8. HEALTH PROBLEMS
May harm users if they use it for long hours frequently. Users are also exposed to bad posture, eyestrain, physical and mental stress. In order to solve the health problems, an ergonomic environment can be introduced.

1.1.2.2 :State the differences between computerised & non-computerised systems.

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EDUCATION
Before ICT
· depends strictly on teachers & textbook
· no or limited technology in the teaching & learning process
With ICT
· more interesting & interactive experiences
· enhanced learning
BANKING SYSTEM
Before ICT
· was done manually by taking deposits directly
· transactions can only be made during working hours
· takes time to approve any loan applications
With ICT
· all transactions are done by computers.
· all transactions are done at anytime and place
· online services, phone banking system, credit cards are available
INDUSTRY
Before ICT
· Production was slow because was done manually & totally depended on human labour.
With ICT
· Computers & telecommunications industry became very popular &profitable since production can be increased through an all day operation.
COMMERCE
Before ICT
· Trading was made using the barter system or currency.
· Advertisement was in the form of word of mouth, billboards & printed flyers.
· Trading globally was slow, late and expensive. Traders had to find ways to market local products in the global market.
With ICT
· E-commerce plays an important role in the economic scene. It includes distribution, buying, selling and servicing products.

1.1.2.1 : List the usage of ICT in everyday life.

2010-03-01T16:48:00.000-08:00

EDUCATION
Computers offer interactive experiences, enhanced learning, cognitif development & better management. Those who benefit are:
Teachers:
~ to search for teaching materials, participate in online forums, online conferences & to aid their teaching.
Students:
~ a reference too such as to browse the internet to look for information.
Researchers:
~ to collect and process data.
School Administrators:
~ for administrative purposes to make sure that the entire operation runs smoothly.
BANKING
Customers, businessman & bank administrator benefits from the usage of ICT.
Customers:
~ make transactions anytime they want at the 24 hour service centres or via online.
Businessman:
~ save time by using the online services offered by banks. Company’s accounts can access for loan applications, business transactions and update on their cash flow at any time.
Bank Administrator:
~ to oversee the entire banking activities such as reconciliations, inter-branch transactions, telegraphic transfer and others.
INDUSTRY
Computers are used to facilitate production planning and control systems, to support chain management and to help in product design. Workers, researchers and administrator benefits from the usage of ICT.
Workers:
~ use machines that are connected to computers to operate. Robots are used to take over jobs that are dangerous to the workers.
Researchers:
~ to analyse and collect research data for future reference.
Administrators:
~ to oversee the entire operations in factory to detect specific errors or defects..
E-COMMERCE
E-commerce makes buying and selling activities easier, more efficient and faster. Customers, suppliers and employees benefits from the usage of ICT.
Customers:
~ to be connected online with suppliers to purchase products. It save time and cost as they do not have to go to any outlets.
Suppliers:
~ to keep track of their transactions. All products are bar coded and can be read by the computer scanner to help in determining prices and managing inventory.
Employees:
~ to communicate with their customers for any enquiries. It helps employees to get the latest updates on inventory to be informed to the customers.
OTHER SECTORS:
Other sectors that benefit from the usage of ICT are archiecture, arts, career, goverment, healthcare, home, law enforcement, transportation and travel

1.1.1.2 : Describe the brief evolution of computers.

2010-03-01T16:45:00.000-08:00

COMPUTER GENERATIONS
First Generation (1940-1956)
Computer were huge, slow, expensive and often unreliable. In 1946, Presper Eckert and Willian Mauchly build the ENIAC. It use vacuum tube.
In 1951, Eckert and Mauchly build the UNIVAC, which could calculate at the rate of 10,000 addition per seconds.
Among new invention of hardware in this era are vacuum tube, punched card and magnetic tape.
Problems:
· the vacuum tubes generated a great deal of heat causing many problems in temperature regulation and climate control
· the tubes burnt out frequently
· people operating the computer did not know that the problem was in the programming machine
SECOND GENERATION (1956-1963)
Transistor was created. Transistor is a small device use to transfer electronic signals across a resister. The advantages of transistors are
· smaller than vacuum tubes
· needed no warm up time
· consumed less energy
· generated much less heat
· faster and more reliable
THIRD GENERATION (1964-1971)
Silicone chips were manufactured in 1961. Then came the Integrated circuit (IC) technology which had reduced the size and cost of computers. It is a complete electronic circuit on a small chip of silicone which is also known as semi conductor. It replaced the Magnetic Core Memory. The first 256 bit RAM was introduced and it was the basis for development of 1K bit RAM.
The IBM 370 series were introduced in 1964 and it came in several models and sizes. It was used for business and scientific programs. Other computer models were CDC 7600 and B2500.
Advantages:
Computer can be upgraded and expanded
Silicone chips were reliable, compact and cheaper.
Hardware & software sold separately.
Customer service industry flourished
FOURTH GENERATION (1971- PRESENT)
The growth of the computer industry such as Apple Macintosh, IBM, DELL & ACER.
In 1971 Intel created the first microprocessor. In 1976, Steve Jobs built the first Apple computer. Then, in 1981, IBM introduced its first personal computer.
Hardware technology such as silicone chips, microprocessor (developed for computer memory & logic) and storage devices were invented. The microprocessor is a large-scale integrated circuit which contained thousands of transistors which are capable of performing all of the functions of a computer's CPU.
Advantages:
Computers became 100 times smaller than ENIAC
Gain in speed, reliability and storage capacity
Personal & software industry boomed
FIFTH GENERATION (PRESENT & BEYOND)
The technologiy are advance and still being develop. The inventions have grown rapidly including many other computer devices such as silicone chips, processor, robotics, virtual realit,y intelligent systems & programs which translate languages
NEW ERA COMPUTER
The technology has become more advanced, modern & sophisticated. The latest invention in are Super Computers, Mainframe Computers, Mini Computers, Personal Computers & Mobile Computers.
In the new era, expert system such as teleconferencing & speech-recognition system have been invented.

1.1.1.1 : Define ICT

2010-03-01T16:39:00.000-08:00

ICT is the technology required for information processing, the use of electronic computers, communication devices and software applications to convert, store, protect, process, transmit and retrieve information from anywhere, anytime.
Information:
Refers to the knowledge obtained from reading, investigation, study or research that helps to fulfill our daily tasks.
Communication:
A process @ an act of transmitting messages whereby information is exchanged between individuals to gain knowledge.
Technology:
The use of scientific knowledge, experience and resources to create processes products that fulfill human needs.

Hi

2010-03-01T16:37:00.000-08:00

We are Kolej 4 Alfa. We are the best ...
This is our class blog - mainly on ICT.