Microsoft Security Essentials Review

After pulling the plug on Windows Live One Care, Redmond has now officially released Microsoft Security Essentials, which is a free antivirus tool developed exclusively for the Windows platform. In this article, I present a Microsoft security essentials review for all those of you who are curious about this new antivirus program.

Microsoft has finally unveiled its premier antivirus program, earlier codenamed Morro as 'Microsoft Security Essentials (MSE)'. It is designed to be a complete antivirus solution for Windows platform to act as a bulwark against all the species of malicious programs including viruses, adware, malware, scareware, worms, trojans, rootkits, keyloggers, rogue security software programs. This antivirus program can be freely downloaded and installed on genuine Windows XP, Windows Vista and Windows 7 copies only. The intention of this article is to present a Microsoft Security Essentials review for those who are still skeptical about using this program.

What a user with an installed version of Windows XP, Windows Vista or Windows 7 would want to know is whether he can rely on this software as the standalone antivirus software program on his laptop or desktop computer. This review is aimed at helping you decide in that matter. Microsoft's free antivirus program endeavor has been welcomed by many as one of the best free computer security solutions today.

Microsoft Security Essentials Review and Performance

Microsoft Security Essentials have been in the market long enough now for a thorough review to be made, considering the feedback that users and experts have provided. It is the default free antivirus for Windows 7. Here are the main features of MSE for your perusal.

System Requirements
One essential condition for Microsoft Security Essentials to work on your PC is that you have a genuine Windows XP (service Pack 3 or 2), Windows XP (Service Pack 1, 2 or Gold) or Windows 7 installed. For Windows XP, you need at least a 500 MHz processor with RAM greater than 256 MB. For Windows 7, you need at least 1 GHz processor with at least 1 GB RAM. Other than that it needs 140 MB of free hard drive memory space and VGA display of 800 x 600 at least.

Installation
Download and installation of Microsoft security Essentials was quite fast considering the size of the setup file is short. During installation, it runs a check for a genuine Windows license. Once that test is passed, installation happens fast. It automatically starts downloading security updates and runs a security scan after that. Booting time stays unaffected after installing MSE and it makes minimal usage of system resources while not affecting performance speed.

Scanning
MSE offers three virus scanning options for your computer, which includes a quick, full and custom scan. Quick scans only check the most vulnerable parts of your system and takes an average of 5 to 10 minutes to execute. A full scan takes longer depending on the density and total number of files on your hard drive.

A custom scan lets you select any folder or drive for scanning. Compared to other free antivirus software programs, MSE is a slow scanner of the hard drive but it's thorough. It provides you with an option for excluding certain file locations, file formats and processes from getting scanned. This can shorten your scanning time. It can also create a system restore point before every scan. Information about every potential threat detected is made available in the history section.

You can schedule a custom scan daily and also select the type of scan. The settings section also provide you with a facility to choose the default action for low, medium and high level security threats. It offers real time protection which alerts you about threats on the go. The malware and anti virus updates happen automatically and almost three times a day at times. The dynamic signature service contacts Microsoft servers for information regarding unidentified threats that are not part of its updated database.

Security Features
Now moving on to the main point of this Microsoft Security Essentials review, let us discuss its security features and performance. MSE is on par with the best in the business when it comes to detecting malware. In real time scanning mode, it detects most malware programs before they can get activated on your system. The antivirus and anti spyware engines along with the rootkit protection are some of the other useful tools. What is lacking is email scanners, web protection and a firewall. However, considering that this is a free software, the features offered are truly reasonable.

User Friendly Interface
One of the prime features of this program is its very user friendly interface with a minimum number of tabs. It offers easy handling and stays in the background with minimal resource usage. It has made a mark to be one of the top 5 best free antivirus software programs.

Being a user of this new antivirus program for quite some time now, I am qualified to present a Microsoft Security Essentials review from personal experience. It has all the makings of one of the best free antivirus programs today with back up and support from none other than Microsoft itself. Microsoft Security Essentials is a lightweight and efficient antivirus program that provides you with the 'bare essentials' of computer security. To conclude, MSE is highly recommended as a free antivirus program that will safeguard your computer.

By Gray Pilgrim

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Windows 7 – Future of Operating System

Windows 7, the latest operating system by Microsoft is similar to Microsoft Vista but not the same .

Windows 7, the upcoming and latest version of Microsoft Windows is the successor of the famous Windows Vista Operating system. It is an incremental upgrade to the Windows line of operating system that aims at being compatible with all the hardware and software applications with which its predecessor is compatible. Some interesting features of Windows 7 include a touch screen functionality, a completely new task-bar, larger thumbnail previews, Internet Explorer 8, a home networking system that is known as HomeGroup and of course enhanced performance. This operating system was initially slated for a January 2010 release, which has now been postponed for the holiday season of 2009.

Looking at the features and functionalities, the Windows 7 appears to be similar to Windows Vista, however it is not so. With the Windows 7, you will be able to defragment multiple hard drives at the same time, create a sandboxed user account for children so that they are unable to mess with the Windows and programme settings. In fact with this operating system, you can encrypt the USB flash drives to protect the data and files. Also, a number of tools have been provided for fine-tuning the display settings for crisp colors and clear text.

System Requirements

Microsoft is reported to claim that the recommended specifications for a system to have Windows 7 is same as that for Windows Vista Premium version. A bets version of the upgrade advisor can be used to scan the computer and check if it is compatible with the new Windows 7 operating system. The system requirements include a processor clocked at 1GHz, 1GB of RAM and 16 GB of available disk space.

Security Functionalities of Windows 7

Today every person has loads of important files and data stored on their laptops or desktops. In case someone else who is less experienced with computers uses your system, then there are chances of mess-ups happening. In case of Windows 7, the changes made by a guest account is completely reversed, as in the files saved by them are deleted and the changes made to the system's settings are also annulled. This can be done by enabling the PC Safeguard option in the guest account. The guest account which has this function disabled will be able to make changes entitled by the administrator to the guest user. You can even lock or control your applications by using AppLocker. It restricts the users to just the applications specified by you, providing you with more control. Windows Security Centre application has been replaced by another application known as Action Centre. This Action Centre alerts you about the maintenance of the computer, issues with back-ups and also some kind of potential security problems.

User Account Management

With the Windows 7 operating system installed on your computer fewer warnings and alerts are supplied as well as more useful User Account Control tweaks are offered. For safeguarding the USB flash drive, you can activate BitLocker feature provided by this operating system. Windows 7 has included all the troubleshooting applications into one single "Find and Fix Problems" applet, which is situated in the Control Panel. This applet checks for all kinds of incorrect settings and repairs it.

Trouble-Shooting Assistance

If an application is acting weird and not functioning properly in the Windows 7 operating system, then the user just needs to start the "Problem Steps Recorder" application and hit the record tab. It will make note of the step by step process for completing the task. Windows 7 is offering a Resource Monitor in place of Task Manager that displays full detail of the number of processes currently running in the system along with particulars about the how they are utilising the RAM, CPU, network and hard drive. Additionally the Windows 7 operating system has introduced many new shortcut keys for user friendly operation.

Verdict

Overall, the Windows 7 operating system can create a productive and efficient work environment, provide better security and data protection whilst offering easy to use user friendly functionalities.

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By john shelton

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Different Types of Operating Systems

Operating systems that create a link between users and the applications form the core of computer systems. It dissociates the programs and the hardware and simplifies resource management. Let us look at the different types of operating systems.

An operating system is a software component of a computer system that is responsible for the management of various activities of the computer and the sharing of computer resources. It hosts the several applications that run on a computer and handles the operations of computer hardware. Users and application programs access the services offered by the operating systems, by means of system calls and application programming interfaces. Users interact with operating systems through Command Line Interfaces (CLIs) or Graphical User Interfaces known as GUIs. In short, operating system enables user interaction with computer systems by acting as an interface between users or application programs and the computer hardware. Here is an overview of the different types of operating systems.

Real-time Operating System: It is a multitasking operating system that aims at executing real-time applications. Real-time operating systems often use specialized scheduling algorithms so that they can achieve a deterministic nature of behavior. The main object of real-time operating systems is their quick and predictable response to events. They either have an event-driven or a time-sharing design. An event-driven system switches between tasks based of their priorities while time-sharing operating systems switch tasks based on clock interrupts.

Multi-user and Single-user Operating Systems: The operating systems of this type allow a multiple users to access a computer system concurrently. Time-sharing system can be classified as multi-user systems as they enable a multiple user access to a computer through the sharing of time. Single-user operating systems, as opposed to a multi-user operating system, are usable by a single user at a time. Being able to have multiple accounts on a Windows operating system does not make it a multi-user system. Rather, only the network administrator is the real user. But for a Unix-like operating system, it is possible for two users to login at a time and this capability of the OS makes it a multi-user operating system.

Multi-tasking and Single-tasking Operating Systems: When a single program is allowed to run at a time, the system is grouped under a single-tasking system, while in case the operating system allows the execution of multiple tasks at one time, it is classified as a multi-tasking operating system. Multi-tasking can be of two types namely, pre-emptive or co-operative. In pre-emptive multitasking, the operating system slices the CPU time and dedicates one slot to each of the programs. Unix-like operating systems such as Solaris and Linux support pre-emptive multitasking. Cooperative multitasking is achieved by relying on each process to give time to the other processes in a defined manner. MS Windows prior to Windows 95 used to support cooperative multitasking.

Distributed Operating System: An operating system that manages a group of independent computers and makes them appear to be a single computer is known as a distributed operating system. The development of networked computers that could be linked and communicate with each other, gave rise to distributed computing. Distributed computations are carried out on more than one machine. When computers in a group work in cooperation, they make a distributed system.

Embedded System: The operating systems designed for being used in embedded computer systems are known as embedded operating systems. They are designed to operate on small machines like PDAs with less autonomy. They are able to operate with a limited number of resources. They are very compact and extremely efficient by design. Windows CE, FreeBSD and Minix 3 are some examples of embedded operating systems.

The operating systems thus contribute to the simplification of the human interaction with the computer hardware. They are responsible for linking application programs with the hardware, thus achieving an easy user access to the computers.

By Manali Oak

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Why to Create a Recovery Disk?

Which are the main advantages to create a boot restore disk? Save your time by preparing an image of your operating system for emergency situations.

A Restore Disk is no doubt among the necessary tools that you simply will need to have if you a poses computer. If you buy a computer from your store it comes pre-installed with an Operating System, usually Windows. It comes accompanied which includes a Boot Disk which enables you to recover your original Windows OS in case of a failure.

Operating Systems like Windows become very slow in time. Just the usage of this system like {net surfing|internet browsing|, can damage your registries by allowing to certain websites to install specific content, plug-ins and software. If they are not present you can’t do your job, so that you don’t possess a choice. There are so much of software programs these days that you must install on a newly installed Windows to benefit from it, no speaking of device drivers, windows updates and patches, that a full installation of Windows up to date can take a long time, a minimum a couple of hours. To not mention specific settings and profile information used everyday.

That’s why you should have a back-up solution, a sort of back-up of the Operating System. This can save you lot of your time needed by a fresh install of Windows|This will save your efforts and energy of a new Windows installation}. You can have all your data and all your settings back in several minutes updated at the time when you decided to create a copy of the Windows partition. You don’t need special computer skills for this procedure. Another benefit is that it can be realized on all Windows distributions (95, 96, 2000, XP, 2003, Vista, NT).

There are special accessories for this operation like Norton Ghost or Acronis True Image. They may be both simple, fast, effective and no cost. What they do ? They create a copy of your desired partition, in our case C:\ partition (if we presume the Windows installation is on C:\). This is an image file with all the files contained on that system partition: windows file system, profile files, device drivers and installed software. All files are copied on that ghost image. So, a recommendation prior to make this recovery disk would be to proper install Windows with all its drivers, service packs if it’s the case, network configuration, software that you simply use and personal user configuration. Just before you make a clone of the Operating System I advise you to make use of the computer for a while, until you possess the full installation and configuration you need day by day. At that time just install Norton Ghost or Acronis. Follow the steps (they have help menu) for creating a boot floppy disk or CD/DVD. Boot from them and do the copy of your Windows partition to an image to a different disk partition. Reboot Windows from hard disk and save that image in a DVDor somewhere safe.

In time when your Windows OS will have errors, it will be slow, having problems on boot or even just fail to boot, you simply boot with the floppy/CD Norton Ghost created disk and you choose to restore your previously created image for the OS which contains the Windows operating system itself.

Create Recovery Disk
Make recovery disk

By Brandon Seagal

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Linux vs. Windows

Operating system or OS is system software that manages and controls the computer resources and gives users with an interface used to access these resources. OS can be found for almost every device that is made with ICs like PC, Internet Servers, portable music players, cell phones, digital cameras and video games. There are five most popular computer operating systems including Windows, Linux, UNIX, Mac and Novell. Among these Windows and Linux are the most widely used and most popular operating systems.

But both these operating systems, Windows and Linux, are completely different in technology, interface and reliability. The main differences between Windows and Linux are as follows:

1. Linux is an open source operating system whereas Windows is a closed source operating system. You can reproduce and copy the Linux codes at very low cost but not of windows.

2. Windows is very costly as compared to Linux. Linux is completely free operating system. But both these operating systems are very expensive to maintain.

3. Linux is more reliable operating system as compared to Windows. Windows creates several hidden problems that can lead to system failure. Time pressure for development of the publicized closed source product to fulfill a sales target is also a thought to play a big role in the number of errors.

Reliability is the major problem with windows operating system. It causes hidden errors that can lead to system failure and ultimately can cause data loss.

Data loss is one of the biggest problems for computer users where he/she losses all of the important data stored on computer that can lead their business to destroy. In these situations, it becomes very important to recover these data.

You can recover your lost data with the help of software. Data recovery software can be different for different operating systems. For Windows operating system, these software are known as windows data recovery software. These are the hard drive data recovery software that can help you in recovering all of your lost data from computer hard drive no matter what is the reason of data loss.

Stellar Phoenix Windows Data Recovery is robust and powerful data recovery software that you can use in all possible cases of data loss from windows computer. This data recovery software uses advanced scanning algorithms to search and locate the lost data and recover them in the original format. This software also works as Partition recovery software and can recover the lost or missing windows hard drive partitions based on FAT and NTFS file system.

Stellar Phoenix Windows data recovery software is compatible with all file versions of Microsoft Windows including Windows 98, 2000, XP, 2003 and Vista.

By Andrew Watson

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Operating Systems 2011 - Choosing the Right One

Today there are a myriad of operating systems to use - Windows, linux, MacOSx, BSD etc. The choice is yours. But there are many things to consider when you plan or want the full potential of what you have and choosing the right O.S. becomes very cumbersome and painful. The choices are so many but which one you want to use and for what purpose.

- Which operating system to use and for what?
- Is this o.s. for me?

I remember back in the early nineties installing windows95 on a pentium I - 75 Mhz. Being from the computing field i found this experience quite exhilirating. Computer hardware since then has come a long way. My first encounter with linux was back in 2003 and BSD in 2005.

Operating systems today are geared pretty much towards usability within a GUI. Half a decade ago it wasn't easy where much had to be done by the command line if you wanted to use linux.

Today things are all fancy and very easy to use. There are a many Os'es:

-Microsoft windows 7
-Fedora linux / RHEL 6
-Ubuntu 10.04/ 10.10
-slackware 13.1
-Zenwalk
-Mandriva 2010 powerpack
-Sabayon
-Gentoo
-FreeBSD/ PC-BSD/ OpenBSD

and the list goes on... But which one to use?

If you want to listen to music and see only movies but without viruses and spyware then go on and use linux assuming you arent computer savvy.

- Zenwalk
- Ubuntu 10.04(Preffered choice)
- Slackware
- Sabayon
OR
- Microsoft windows 7

(Windows is not linux and vice versa)

If u want to run a server again linux

- RHEL
- CentOS
- Fedora
- Gentoo
- Slackware
- SLES (Enterprise SUSE linux)
OR
MIcrosoft windows server 2003 or 2008

For playing games, mostly proprietary, use Windows 7 OR MacOSx.

Linux does not play most of the games made for windows although there are applications to run these games like cedega and WINE. A considerable amount of knowledge and tweaking around with your linux system is required to run most games and if you are willing to take the plunge you might get it to work.

If you want to run a very stable server O.S. then go in for freeBSD (Berkeley Software Distribution)
FreeBSD servers have an uptime of over half a decade though there are no guarantees.

Minor tweaking is involved in setting up linux and unix(BSD) servers assuming you are willing to go through a limited amount of hardship.

Linux servers too are very powerful and reliable.

But if you just want a server that works and want to set up with a few clicks then go and buy Windows server-2008.

Cost of everything:

You will have to purchase all Microsoft products.

RHEL( Redhat hat enterprise linux) and SLES(SUSE linux enterprise server) are enterprise linux and have a premium.

MacOSx- Comes with the hardware you buy and is very expensive.

All of the other mentioned OSes are free and can be downloaded from the internet, ofcourse you will have to buy the underlying hardware yourself.

Windows kernel is a microkernel architecture using WindowsNT mach kernel(a hybrid kernel) and hence has the Registry database to handle all system level calls. It is a closed source O.S. wherein the proprietor controls all intellectual property.

Linux kernel written by Helsinki resident Linux Torvalds is monolithic in design and is very simple to read and edit. The kernel works effectively as the operating system runs in kernel space.
FreeBSD too and other BSD variants are also monolithic in design.
BSD and linux are open source and can be viewed and edited by the public under the BSD and GPL licenses.

MacOSx kernel is BSD based but heavily modified named XNU Mach kernel.

The future of operating systems isnt easy to visualise.
Exokernel architectures are still in research mode.

Changing hardware with new addon features for now seems to be the current stable trend and changing code keeps up with it to run and optimize its usability.

By rishi dev

READ MORE - Operating Systems 2011 - Choosing the Right One

What is an Operating System?

This is a short article helping the average computer user understand what an operating system is.

Every computer must have an operating system. Without one your computer is pretty much useless. The operating system is like your computer’s manager. It is the program that manages all the other programs on your computer. The operating system performs the following tasks in addition to many others:

When several programs are open it determines which programs should run and in what order.

It determines the amount of time each program should get.

It manages the sharing of memory among the many programs on your computer.

It handles input and output.

It sends messages to both the program and the user concerning the status of operations and any errors that may have occurred.

The list of responsibilities the operating system has is much longer than the one above. The main thing you need to know is that you cannot use your computer if you don’t have an operating system. Fortunately, the system works in the background and most of the time you will not be aware of what it is doing.

As we continue throughout the textbook you will learn and appreciate more about what an operating system is and what it can do. Back in the early days of computers when there was no such thing as an operating system a computer user could only run one program at a time. Each time they wanted to use the program they had to load one they had written and if something went wrong during the process the user would have to start all over from the beginning. This is because there was nothing within the computer to manage it the way an operating system does today.

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By Donna Rivera-Loudon

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Difference between Windows and Macintosh

Which operating system do you use for your computer? If it is either Windows or Macintosh, wouldn’t you like to understand the difference between them? If you would, you must read on…

I am sure you know what Mac and Windows are! Yes, they are two competing operating systems (OS or O/S) in use today. Both of them have amassed popularity for different reasons. Both of these operating systems have a following of their own. Before understanding the differences between Windows and Mac, let us take a quick look at each of them.

Microsoft Windows

It is a software operating system and graphical user interface that was developed by Microsoft. Following its introduction in 1985, it became immensely popular among the personal computer users. Its development had begun on two parallel routes. The development on one route was intended for personal use while the other was for professional use. The versions aimed at personal use featured greater multimedia support and lacked networking capabilities. The professional versions of Windows offered greater networking and security features but lacked multimedia support. Windows XP was a huge success and the relatively recent Windows Vista is nonetheless popular.

Macintosh

Also known as Mac, Macintosh refers to a brand name that covers a series of personal computers developed by Apple Inc. Apple produces Mac hardware and has its own operating system that comes packaged with all the Macs. The Mac Operating System can be divided into two families of operating systems. One is the ‘Classic’ Mac OS, which was shipped with Macs until the creation of Mac OS 9. The second family is Mac OS X, which derives its features from Mac OS 9. The operating system that is currently in use is known as Mac OS X, successor of Mac OS, which is a line of graphical user interface-based operating systems.

Now that you have been introduced to the two operating systems, let us look at the differences between them.

Difference between Windows and Macintosh

The Windows operating system is based on the DOS programing language while Mac is based on Unix.

Windows is universally used while Macintosh is used only on Apple’s hardware. As Windows is used by a majority of computer users, it is more vulnerable to being hacked. Macintosh is considered as a more secure operating system.

Windows is criticized for having less number of features as compared to Mac. Moreover, it is less responsive to higher amounts of computing operations. On the contrary, Macintosh boasts of a rich feature set and ease of use.

While Windows focuses on office function, Macintosh is focused on graphics and multimedia functions. Mac is considered suitable for entertainment purposes, whereas Windows is best suited for business use. Mac is popularly used for photo editing and for playing videos and music.

Similar functions that are executable on both Macintosh and Windows differ in their terminology. For example, the function of the Control key in Windows corresponds to that of the Command key on Macs. The Command prompt on Windows is known as the Terminal on Mac. The Windows control panel corresponds to System Preferences on Mac. Macintosh and Windows differ in file navigation and management, keyboard shortcuts and certain other computer operations. Also, window controls, menu bars and mouse buttons differ in their functionality in both the operating systems.

Thus, we see that Windows and Macintosh are fairly dissimilar operating systems. Each of them comes packaged with a set of advantages and disadvantages and each of them is meant for a distinct section of users. And that makes me want to ask you, to which section of users do you belong?

By Manali Oak

READ MORE - Difference between Windows and Macintosh

Use a Virtual Machine Setup to Experiment with Operating Systems

Trying out new operating systems without a standalone installation is easy and highly-efficient with the use of a virtual machine setup, which can be achieved quite easily by even modestly-experienced computer users.

For the technically inclined and the curious, the draw to experimentation within the desktop computing environment can be strong. Whether irritated with the susceptibility to viruses of the most mainstream operating systems or simply with the cost of software for the Microsoft O/S platform, computer enthusiasts often want more options. Without getting into the Windows vs. Apple vs. Linux/Unix debate, it is often lack of options and the "black box" concept behind Windows software that most irritates computer aficionados. Such "geeks," as they can affectionately be referred to, often prefer open source software options, and at present there is no shortage of open source titles that essentially mimic the popular (and expensive) mainstream software options out there.

Taking advantage of the open source movement, however, can often be best achieved with an alternate operating system as well, not to mention that Linux, Unix and BSD operating systems are themselves open source. While there are many options available for the Windows O/S platforms, many open source enthusiasts prefer to work with a Linux desktop distribution, or "distro." In the past, those just venturing into the world of Linux - or Unix, or BSD - utilized a "dual boot" setup so that they could keep their tried and true Microsoft operating system while being able to experiment with a new desktop environment.

The dual boot worked fine, and still does, but requires a reboot every time one wishes to try out the new O/S and is rather inflexible with regard to disk space utilized. The reboot itself is not overly cumbersome if one is merely in experimentation mode, but those who start out this way often end up utilizing both operating systems on an ongoing basis, choosing Windows for some tasks and their alternate O/S for others. With the advent of "virtual machine" applications, however, the need for the dual boot setup has become obsolete.

Without going into all of the details, it will suffice to merely note that a virtual machine, or "VM," is a software implementation of a computer or operating system. In short, by installing VM software on an existing desktop, one can launch it as an application and, in essence, be working within a "shell" that resides within the existing O/S. It is, for all intents and purposes, the equivalent of having two computers without the need to have two physical boxes. The operating system that is run from within the VM software operates entirely independently from the primary O/S while sharing the physical hardware, i.e. - disk space, memory, processor, etc., of the computer.

While there are a number of options available to run a VM, a popular and easy-to-use choice is VMWare Player, which is free and makes it extremely easy to create one or more virtual machines on an existing computer/operating system. Likewise, there are a number of Linux-based desktop operating systems available, but one of the most popular and best supported is Ubuntu, a free desktop operating system that comes bundled with the Gnome desktop, along with popular open source software. To translate into Windows parlance, Firefox, GIMP, Evolution Mail and OpenOffice will replace such applications as Internet Explorer, Photoshop, Outlook and Microsoft Office, respectively. There are countless other bundled applications as well, and the community that continues to develop both Ubuntu and open source software titles is robust and active, meaning that new titles are constantly being developed and improved upon.

For those that wish to take the plunge and try out a new operating system, a VM installation is the perfect opportunity to do so. As noted, those that start out in experimentation mode often move to a new computing methodology altogether, utilizing Windows for some tasks and their VM-based Linux install for others. Some even go so far as to remove the "training wheels" altogether and utilize their Linux desktop O/S exclusively. For those who try out Linux and find it overly difficult to adjust to, the VM-based approach allows for the easy removal of the add-on operating system, after which the VM application itself can be removed quickly and easily and without the complications that often arise from a dual-boot setup. Taken as a whole, the easiest and most efficient manner for operating system testing is the virtual machine.

By Buzzle Staff and Agencies

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Android OS for PC

Did you know that there is a version of Android OS for PC now? Read this article to know all about how to use Android OS on your personal computer.

Google's answer to Symbian and iOS is Android. It is a Linux avatar specifically designed for mobile phones. The Linux pedigree means that portability is inherent in this operating system. Very few people in Android fan communities know that Android OS for PC has been a reality since August, 2009. The developer team of Android launched a live CD for computer users, where they could test the prowess of this new operating system. If you are wondering how to install and use Android OS for PC, you have landed on the right page. Here I provide step by step instructions on how to get Android running on your PC.

The concept of a live CD lets you test an operating system, despite of having a fully functional installed operating system on your PC. So people who are thinking of switching to a new operating system, can check it out before they decide to completely migrate over to it.

If you feel like testing the Android OS, before buying an Android phone, getting a live CD or live USB version and running it, is the best way to test it. Making this live CD or live USB version available was one way of increasing the credibility of the operating system among the masses.

How to Get Android OS for PC?

So how and where can you get Android for PC setup? Like all developers of the Linux open source community, the Android team has made the live CD version, as well as the live USB version available on its official website. Visit the Live Android home page to download the setup files of live versions. Either download it directly from the website or from any of its mirrors spread all over the world.

You could either download the live CD version or the live USB version. Know that these version only on x86 systems. You can also use live Android OS for tablet PC. Read all the instructions regarding download and installation on the website. A glance through the FAQ section will also be very helpful. You might want to check out which is the best Android phone.

How to Install and Run Android OS on PC?

Once you get the setup files on your computer, the rest is quite easy. There are two ways in which you can run Android OS for PC. Either you could burn the live CD ISO image on a CD and boot from your optical drive or you could run it using virtualbox or vmware.

If you download liveandroid v0.2, which is the latest version, you will have to first join the ISO files which come in parts. For that you will have to use a software called HJSplit, which is a freeware. Use the program to combine both the parts of the ISO files together. You can get the whole ISO image directly by downloading it from any one of the mirror sites, which eliminates the need to join them.

If you have a live CD version, burn it on a blank CD to use it or if you have a live USB version, then install it on a USB. To run the program, simply plug in the USB or put the live CD into the optical drive to boot and use. Alternatively, get vmware or virtualbox installed on your PC and run the Live CD directly from ISO image, without burning it on a CD.

Go ahead and check out Android OS for PC, which developers have made available for free online. As you will realize, the power of Android lies in its multitasking prowess and light use of computing resources. We have all been waiting for the Google Chrome OS to be launched soon. Though Chrome and Android are operating systems designed for different purposes, testing Android for PC, will give you an idea of what you can expect Chrome to be.

By Gray Pilgrim

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Top Video Editing Software

When you talk about the top video editing software, you are talking about a software that edits, copies and produces videos and creates discs at a faster rate. So, let's have a look at some of the best video editing softwares in the market today.

Gone are the days when video recording was only done by film people and the people who had knowledge about cameras. Today almost every computer in the US has a video editing software, its one of the must have softwares in computers and laptops. With the advancement of technology, now video recording can be done even with simple cameras and mobile phones. So, its safe to say that an average American is a modern day Hollywood director. The best part about shooting all these videos are you can actually improve the quality of such videos with a top video editing software.

When you talk about the top video editing software it basically means, that with the help of a video editing software you can import and export video files in your computer and program. Through a top quality video editing software you can edit, cut and paste certain parts of your video which you have stored in your computer. You can also add some effects and transitions to your video with a video editing software. You can customize your background color and also the function of the titles in your video. So many amazing advantages but its very necessary to use the best video editing software, so that you can get the best rated video.

Top Rated Video Editing Software

In many cases, video editing can be expensive due to the cost of video editing softwares. If you are looking for a top video editing software, you may find many names on the Internet. However, be careful in downloading as not all of them are good. So, here are some names of free video editing softwares who have some excellent reviews.

Windows Movie Maker 2.6
Windows movie maker 2.6 is available for download and it runs very well on both Windows Vista and Windows 7. If you have enough knowledge about video editing then you are probably using the advanced version. Leaving all facts aside, Movie Maker from Microsoft is one of the top rated video editing software in the market.

Wax
Wax is high performance and better video editing software program. It was discovered as a college project and since has become one of the most proffered video editing softwares. It's excellent for both professionals and home users, it can be used as an independent application or as a plug in to other video editors.

Cinefx Jahshaka
Cinefx is mainly used as an editing, animation, playback and as a visual effects tool, which is based on the Jahshaka technology which helps you to create professional digital media on your desktop. It's a favorite tool for creating blockbuster movies.

Apple iMovie
Only a top video editing software can be compared to Movie Maker and that top competitor comes from Apple Computers and it's called Apple iMovie. Apple iMovie has some amazing features and add ons. The only con I found with the Apple iMovie is that it works only on MAC systems. If you are buying a new MAC system then you get this Apple iMovie for free. So, if you want the software without purchasing the system, you would have to purchase it.

Avid FreeDV
Avid FreeDV runs on both Windows and MAC operating systems. It has some excellent video and audio editing capabilities. It also offers you some excellent realtime effects. Overall a best video editing software that is slightly difficult to use in the beginning, but is very easy once you get the hang of it.

Top 10 Video Editing Software

Thinking of buying the top rated video editing software! It can be a heavy investment if you don't have the appropriate knowledge about video editing softwares. So, here are the top 10 names to consider, which have some excellent video editing software reviews.

1. Corel Video Studio Pro X2
2. DVD Movie Factory
3. Cyberlink Power Director
4. Arcsoft
5. Nero 9
6. Adobe Premier Elements
7. Easy Media Creator
8. Movieplus
9. The Sony Vegas Studio Premium
10. Pinnacle Studio

With this list, I have reached to the end of my article on top video editing software. As I told you before, video editing is not a difficult thing anymore, with so many video editing softwares available online you can also make a top quality video. Movie Maker and Apple iMovie are the most famous video editing softwares right now, both of these products will allow you to do whatever you want with your videos. 

By Kulbhushaan Raghuvanshi

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Top 5 Hints To Go For A Video Editor

The market of video editors is vast with the competition getting fierce. There are certain ideas which one need to keep in mind while doing a decision for an appropriate video editing application. Remarkably the functions of video editors that were on the market until a few years ago were ones that available at a commercial or a "prosumer" standard. However in today's time and era it is available for any customer.

One can review the following factors as a way to obtain the perfect video editing software. Also the factor is that one should be totally well known with all the functions and know the benefits of each of them. The hints include the following:

1. The user interface of the video editing software program is necessary. On the other hand an user-friendly and a basic interface along with providing access to advanced control and functions will be an useful choice. Initially one might find it different but with continuous usage one would be get comfortable and understand each function well.

2. The input video file set-ups is a significant factor to look into. Most of the video editors prove to be suitable with several video file formats. However in today?s technology era there are many volumes of video recording sources and units. Thus people should know the video file formats they would use besides the devices or source files in which the raw footage would be saved. The video file format should be appropriate to the video editor software.

3. The technique of video import is another essential aspect which one needs to look into. Usually the most common and standard defining video is DV AVI. Moreover there are a number of devices and camcorders which indulge in video footage and in an a number of ways. Moreover, there are many devices which also record the video to a hard drive and to memory cards as well. Hence it is important to check the compatibility and the video editor.

4. The quality of video editing is a factor which people should check on at the same time.

5. At times there are video editors which have a limitation on the number of records which one can modify.

On the other hand there are some which have the possibility of infinite options too. Thus one can make a selection as per their need and frequency of editing.
These are primary functions which people should check on while making a decision of video editor. An informed and researched decision would be helpful in the long term!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com

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