Have You Made the Switch from Desktop to Laptop? What You Need to Know…

Have You Made the Switch from Desktop to Laptop? What You Need to Know…

If you’re one of the million who have given up bulky desktop computers altogether for the sleeker, lighter, more versatile laptop, there are a few things you should consider if you haven’t already.

First, because they are portable and light, laptops aren’t inherently as secure as desktop computers when it comes to theft. And we’re not just talking about coffee shops, airports, college campuses, and the passenger seats of cars (which is where most laptops tend to be stolen). Even if you’re in the practice of leaving your laptop on your desk when you go home for the evening, your risking theft should someone break into your office suite or if a door is left unlocked. The first thing a thief would do is snatch up all the laptops. They’re valuable, they resell easily, and they’re easy to remove undetected.

The answer to this problem is simple. Attach a lockable laptop drawer to your desk. We found high-quality models at Versa Tables for under 0. Constructed of steel, these accessories bolt to the under side of almost any desk and allow for a laptop to be retracted under the desktop when not in use, and locked with a key. The back of the drawer has an opening to allow the laptop to be plugged in and charging overnight. While occupying your desk, simply pull the drawer out and use the laptop right there—it creates more space on your desk.

Second, back up your files. Because laptops are mobile, they are at a higher risk of being dropped, kicked when your laptop case is sitting at your feet, or of having something spilled on them. While the manufacturers of laptops are well aware of this, no piece of computerized machinery is indestructible. Back up your files more often either by copying them onto a jump drive or by emailing them to yourself.
Third, be sure to have the necessary accessories at your fingertips. We suggest an extra battery (kept charged), an approved extension cord, and outlet adapters if you plan to travel. An additional USB cable is always good in case you need to plug into a printer and lightweight headphones will allow you to use your laptop anywhere (and still hear live streaming video or DVDs) while maintaining your privacy and without disturbing others.

The last thing you need to know is that ergonomically, laptops aren’t as well-designed as your desktop computer probably was. With desktops, most people now use keyboard trays that adjust to the comfortable tilt and height for the user and therefore, minimize the risk of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and other conditions caused by repetitive motion. Unfortunately, laptops pretty much just rest on your lap and if put on a desk, do not sit at the correct ergonomic height. Experts predict that with the increased use of laptops, there will be an increase in repetitive motion symptoms and potentially disabling conditions like CTS. A way to combat this is to use a laptop desk when working at home or the office. Laptop desks, often referred to as ‘Laptop Carts’ because of their mobility, are available on the market. Simply, they are height-adjustable carts designed to hold a laptop and allow the user to sit or stand while using them. They don’t provide the same ergonomic efficiency as a keyboard at a traditional desk, but they’re better than flopping down on a sofa and sitting the laptop on your lap or having to reach up to type on the laptop keyboard at a regular desk.

The Evolution Of The Pen Part One: From Stone To Feather

The Evolution Of The Pen Part One: From Stone To Feather

The evolution of what we know today as the fountain pen, began thousands of years ago from the writings and or archeological discoveries that we can observe in various forms such as: graffiti, wall paintings, cuneiform writings, and the clay tablets of Sumeria.

The first primitive type of paper were clay tablets that were engraved with the help of a straw, the forerunner of the pen, cut diagonally in such a way to leave a mark on the soft, wet surface of the clay that in a second phase would then be dried so that the lines previously engraved would become imprinted.

Overlooking this interesting part of our past, the true history of the pen begins with the invention of the paper made from papyrus thanks to the skilled Egyptian people. This introduction generated a significant change which was dictated from the intrinsic characteristics of the papyrus paper that demanded ink in order to leave legible marks, and lines. The Egyptian scribes learned to fabricate red and black ink by mixing soot and oxidized iron with water and glue. In order to write with this tenacious, yet elementary ink, the scribe would submerge the point of a reed that by capillary action was able to absorb a small quantity of ink, enough to allow several characters to be written. This action was then repeated numerous times until the scribe completed his work: a task that followed writing through history until the end of the 19th century.

The evolution of the pen was a direct result of the development of the accessories of writing: from utilizing papyrus to parchment, and finally to the paper that we are familiar with today.

The first writing instrument with a point similar to a nib, made from a papyrus stem, was created during the antique Greek civilization. This pen with a nib was constructed by first drying a papyrus stem and then cutting it on one side in such a way that the point (a flute’s mouth) results split in two from one opening so that the pen obtained had a better result in respect to that of the reed used by the Egyptians, even though it’s correct use required much practice with the instrument.

With the introduction of parchment paper, the goose feather pen surpassed that of the reed (straw) given it’s strength and flexibility. From the 16th century, this kind of writing instrument was commonly used thanks also to the introduction of paper. The feather that became individualized as the most suitable for writing was the most external one of the right wing of the bird, that is then naturally turned to embrace the hand of who holds it. The process of making the goose feather pen that was introduced by the Dutch was composed of two phases: during the first phase, the feather was buried for a short time under a layer of fine and very warm sand in order to dry it’s inner and external membrane; and then, it was immersed in a boiling solution of alum or nitric acid to strengthen the feather for future use.

How Do You Benefit From A Registry Cleaner

How Do You Benefit From A Registry Cleaner

Before you select a registry cleaner for your windows based PC, find out how beneficial it is for your system’s performance.

These days, more and more computer users are using registry cleaner software to keep the registry clean and to keep their computers in good health. Computers are the information highway of the 21st century, and most households in the United States use computers for various reasons. The more you use your computer, more information gets stored in its registry. The benefit of a registry cleaner is that it helps ‘slim’ down the registry by removing the unnecessary data thereby making your computer run faster. The registry of your computer is the section where all applications create entries for temporary data, and these entries are never deleted by on their own. The more data your computer processes, the more bloated your registry gets, often slowing down your computer.

It is necessary that you use a window registry cleaner, periodically, to remove all the unnecessary data in the registry. Over time the invalid entries, resulting from uninstalling or incorrectly removing of the software accumulate in the registry. A registry cleaner simply deletes these entries from the registry and helps your system to function at its optimum level.

The Benefits of Cleaning The Registry

This is normally what most computer users do:

• Frequently install or uninstall programs

• Delete software that was never really fully “uninstalled”

Alternately, your computer may have an embedded Spyware, or you may have unused but undeleted drivers in your system. All such accumulated problems can lead to stalls in the system, or reduced operating speeds. This is where a registry cleaner comes in handy. Before the problems rise to such levels, cleaning your registry periodically gets rid of all these extra entries; trimming your registry down and making your computer run at a faster speed.

With improvements in technology, newer window registry cleaners are coming in the market with new improved features:

• A registry cleaner with a scan and repair feature scans the entire registry records, and does not eliminate valid records. It leaves your computer with a ‘trimmed’ registry and a better computer performance.

• There is a feature that is similar to de-fragmentation of the files. It removes the empty spaces and fragments, making the computer run faster.

• Certain registry cleaners come with special features that detect and clean the embedded keys that are generally undetectable. These embedded keys have malicious codes that are used by malware (malicious software).

• Most registry cleaning software have a ‘schedule and forget’ feature, which allows you to set a schedule for a registry scan, fix, backup, and eliminate the routine unnecessary entries in the registry.

When you first install a new system, you will most probably, never notice a registry problem. As your usage increases, the frivolous entries in your registry become larger and larger, especially with the installation and removal of software, drivers, and other components. This slows down your complete system.

This is where you benefit the most from using a registry cleaner that deletes these unnecessary entries and increases the operating speed of your system.