The Start-Run Line

The "Run" line in the Start menu can be used to speed up access to a whole variety of functions. Some examples of the shortcuts that are available are discussed here.

Introduction to the Run Line

The Run command line may be one of the least utilized functions in the Start menu. This is a pity since it can be very useful. It is often the quickest way to launch programs or to open folders and documents. The figure below shows the Start-Run entry.

Clicking the entry "Run" opens the box shown below, where commands may be typed and entered.

Opening applications in Run

Although applications can be opened in a variety of ways, the Run line often provides the quickest route. Desktop shortcut icons are also a quick route but you have to know how to create a shortcut for all the applications and you may end up with dozens of icons.

The best candidates for the Run line are applications that are in the "path" environment. (Go to this page for more discussion of the path.) The path environment is a set of folders whose names do not have to be included when entering a command. The path environment variable normally includes \Windows\ and \Windows\system32\. Many common accessories and Windows applets are in these folders and can be opened by entering just the executable file name. Several that I use constantly are the Registry editor (regedit) and the System Configuration Utility (msconfig). Note that neither of these frequently used system tools has an entry in Start- All Programs. The Run line is the standard method of accessing them.

A table listing some applications that can be opened in the Run line is given below.

A few applications for the Run line

Entry for Run	Function
calc	Opens calculator
cmd	Opens command prompt window
explorer	Opens Windows explorer
magnify	Screen magnifier accessory
msconfig	System Configuration Utility
mshearts	Opens Hearts game
msinfo32	System Information applet
mspaint	Opens graphics accessory Paint
notepad	Notepad accessory
regedit	Registry editor
sol	Opens Classical Solitaire game

Programs not in the path require their full address, including the root folder and all subfolders. Actually typing long path names is not required since a "Browse" function comes with the Run line. This provides a way to search for files of interest and to enter them directly without typing. If desired, frequently used programs can be added to the path environment using the methods that are discussed in a section below.

Opening Management Consoles

Some of the functions that I find convenient to open by means of the Run line include various Management Consoles. For example, the disk defragmenter is opened by entering "dfrg.msc" . I find this easier than the multi-step process involved otherwise. A list of the appropriate file names for opening some of the various services is given in the table below. A more complete list is on this page.

Commands for some Management Consoles (msc extension required)

Entry for Run	Function
ciadv.msc	Manages the Indexing Service
compmgmt.msc	Computer Management Console. It contains a number of the other consoles
devmgmt.msc	Device Manager
dfrg.msc	Disk Defragmenter
diskmgmt.msc	Disk Management
gpedit.msc	Group Policy Editor. Windows XP Professional only
services.msc	Manages the many services involved in Windows and installed software

Opening Control Panel Applets

It is also possible to use Run to open the applets that appear in the Control Panel. A full discussion of shortcuts to Control Panel applets is given on this page. For example,entering "main.cpl" launches the mouse properties window.

Rundll32.exe

There are a number of commands employing Rundll32.exe that can be entered into Start-Run. A full discussion can be found here.

Opening folders in Run

Not only files but also folders can be opened in the Run line. Folders contained by a folder in the path are in this category. Examples are folders within \Windows\ and \Windows\system32\ such as the folders Fonts and "Drivers". Folders that are in \Documents and Settings\{Current User}\ can also be opened in Run. An example is SendTo (written as one word). Being able to open this folder in Run is convenient for editing. It makes it easier to add functions to the "Send To" entry in the right-click context menu. (See this page) Another example of a folder from the same location that can be entered is Cookies.
Note about Vista: Certain system folders like SendTo and Cookies are not directly accessible in Vista. See the page on the Shell command.

There are also some interesting shortcuts to folders that are available in Run. Typing the backslash (\) in the run line and entering it brings up the root folder, usually the C: drive. Typing and entering a period (.) brings up the folder \Documents and Settings\{Current User}\ in Windows XP (or Users\(Current User} in Vista). Entering two periods (..) opens the folder \Documents and Settings\ (or Users in Vista).

Dragging and dropping folders and files into the Run line

If the Run line is open (make sure it is empty) folders or files can be dragged and dropped on it from an open folder window. The full path of the dropped object will be inserted into the Run line and clicking "OK' or pressing the "Enter" key will open the dropped file or folder. Although this feature presents no particular advantage in general, it can be helpful to those who have trouble with double-clicking the mouse.

Adding applications to the Path

The ability to enter a short file name into the Run line to open a program can be extended to any program by putting the folder containing the program executable into the path. Adding folders to the path is described here.

Alternatively, the Registry can be edited to explicitly contain the path to the desired executable file or files. The Registry key involved isHKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\App Paths

1. Create a new sub-key with the name of the executable file that you wish to add to the path. e .g., HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\App Paths\somefile.exe
2. In this new key, add a string variable named "Path" containing the value of the the path to your new executable file, e.g., C:\Program files\newprogramfolder\
3. The new key will already have an empty variable (Default). Edit it to have the string value of entire address of the new program executable , e.g., C:\Program files\newprogramfolder\somefile.exe

You can now enter "somefile.exe" into the Run line to open the program. An example of what the Regedit entries look like is shown in the figure below. I have added a chess game with the executable "winchen.exe" to the path.

A number of files are likely to have already been added on your system. Many applications place themselves here when they are installed. Examples are Microsoft Office components. It is sufficient to enter "winword" into the Run line to open Microsoft Word or "excel" to open Microsoft Excel.

Internet Applications

If you are connected to the Internet, entering an URL into Run opens Internet Explorer (or other browser if it is properly associated) and takes you right to the appropriate web site. The "Browse" function can be used to go to your Favorites folder and you can then click on a link. (Be sure the Browse function is showing "All files" as the file type.) On some systems it will even initiate a Web connection if you are not already on-line. You can also start e-mail by entering “mailto:someone@somewhere.com”. This will open a blank new e-mail with the address already entered. If you want to use an e-mail client other than the Microsoft application Outlook Express, it will have to be associated with the “mailto” function. Many e-mail clients do this automatically when they are installed. (As far as I know, this does not apply to AOL.)

Google supports a command line function that allows for simple searches on on a single term. Enter "www.google.com/search?q=%1" into the Run line, where %1 is the term that is being searched. A dash can be used to combine words. For example, try "www.google.com/search?q=windows-registry" (Omit the quotes.)

Comparison of Run with the Command Prompt

Although a great many commands can be executed in either the Run line or a command prompt, some commands will run directly only in one or the other. Commands which are built into the command interpreter cannot be entered in the Run line without first invoking cmd.exe. They are listed here. These include commands like "dir" and "del". Certain special features of the Run line such as the direct way of opening folders or the Internet shortcuts discussed above do not work in a command prompt unless prefaced with the command "Start".

Accessing the Command Shell from Run

The command interpreter can be invoked to carry out a command from the Run line by entering cmd /c some_commandWith the switch "/c", some_command will be carried out and the command shell will then close. If you want the command shell to remain open, use the switch "/k". Enter cmd /k some_command

The Run Line in Vista

The Start menu in Vista has no Run line in its default setting. Many of the functions of Run can be carried out in the new Search function that is at the bottom of the Vista Start menu but I still like to use Run sometimes. You can get Run back temporarily by using the keyboard shortcut Windows key+R. To put Run permanently back in the Start menu :

1. Right-click on the Start menu and choose "Properties"
2. Select the "Start Menu" tab and click on the "Customize..." button
3. Check the "Run command" option

Configuring the Command Prompt Window

The interface to the command shell can be customized in a number of ways and these are discussed.

The default settings for the window that displays a command prompt can be changed to suit individual preferences. Among the properties that can be changed are those that affect the appearance such as window size, background and foreground color, and font style. Others that affect operation such as the editing mode and command history buffer can also be configured.

The command prompt properties dialog

Changing the settings for the command prompt can be done through the properties dialog box. This can be reached in the menu that is opened by left-clicking the icon in the left-top corner or by right-clicking anywhere in the title bar at the top of a command prompt window. In the menu that opens choose "Properties". Figures 1 and 2 show the procedure.

Fig. 1. Menu for command window	Fig. 2. Entry for properties dialog

The properties dialog box contains four tabs. Each of these is discussed below.

Options tab

The figure on the right shows the dialog box for the Options tab. Settings here include provision for configuring cursor size and window or full-screen display. The "Quick Edit" mode allows you to use the mouse to cut and paste text to and from the command window. You can also choose insert or overwriting for editing by checking or unchecking "Insert Mode".

Command History buffer

A new feature is the "Command History" buffer. This buffer stores the previous commands that you have entered so that you do not have to retype them (reminiscent of Doskey). The default value is 50 but can be made as large as 999 (remember that they do take RAM) . The up-and-down arrow keys can be used to navigate the previously entered commands. Alternatively, pressing the F7 key will display a pop-up window with a list of the commands.

Font tab

This tab is more or less self-explanatory. On most machines, there is a choice of two font faces, Raster (the default) and Lucinda Console. Lucinda Console is more versatile. A selection of font sizes is available. As is true in general about settings, changes in font can be made for the present window only or for all command windows with the same title.

Layout tab

The window size and position can be set here. There are also settings for the screen buffer size. This determines how many lines back that you can scroll.( Incidentally, this ability to scroll back to previous commands was not present in DOS. Once something was off the screen, you couldn't scroll back.)

Color tab

The dialog box for configuring colors is shown on the right. The default colors for a command window and its fonts are the old black and white combination. However, other color combinations are available. The colors for pop-up windows associated with the command window can also be configured. As shown in the figure on the right, colors can be changed by clicking on the appropriate choice or by entering numerical values in the 256 color RGB notation. In the figure, I have chosen a blue screen background with yellow screen text as illustration. Color changes can be made for the current screen only or applied to all command windows.

Screen colors can also be changed with the "color" command or a command-line switch directly modifying the command interpreter. Both these methods are discussed below.

It is also possible to have shortcuts that open the command line with more than one color scheme and this is discussed in the shortcut section below.

Applying changes to all command windows

Note that changes apply to the current command window only unless you specify otherwise. When making configuration changes, you will be shown the dialog box on the right. To make changes stick after the current command session is closed, check the button by the entry, " Save properties for future windows with same title".

Configuring shortcuts for the command prompt

If you use the command prompt a great deal, you may want to place a shortcut on the desktop or in the Quick Launch bar. After creating the shortcut, you can configure the properties of the command window that it will open in much the same way as discussed above. Right-click the shortcut and choose "Properties" from the context menu. Four of the the tabs at the top of the properties sheet will be the same as those discussed above. They are marked in the figure on the right. You can apply whatever customization you like and it will apply only to command windows that are opened from this particular shortcut.

Another way to configure the properties of a particular shortcut is to apply the changes in a command window that has been opened with that shortcut. After configuring the changes to the open command window by the methods discussed in sections above, the dialog box shown on the right will open. Check the button by the entry, "Modify shortcut that started this window".

The "color" command

The screen colors can be configured from the command line itself with the command "color" followed by a two-digit hexadecimal number. The first digit determines the background and the second determines the text color. The table below shows the relationship between the hex numbers and colors.

Table I. Hexadecimal color codes

0 = Black	8 = Gray
1 = Blue	9 = Light Blue
2 = Green	A = Light Green
3 = Aqua	B = Light Aqua
4 = Red	C = Light Red
5 = Purple	D = Light Purple
6 = Yellow	E = Light Yellow
7 = White	F = Bright White

For example the command "color 1E" will give a blue background with yellow text. Settings made this way apply only to the current session. Entering "color" with no argument will return the system to the starting colors.

Switches for the command interpreter cmd.exe

Another way to modify the behavior of the command prompt is to use switches with the command interpreter cmd.exe. The syntax for cmd.exe is:
cmd [[{/c|/k}] [/s] [/q] [/d] [{/a|/u}] [/t:fg] [/e:{on|off}] [/f:{on|off}] [/v:{on|off}] string]
Table II describes the parameters briefly. See the Windows Help and Support Center for more detail.

Table II. Switches for cmd.exe

Parameter	Description
/c	Carries out the command specified by string and then exits
/k	Carries out the command specified by string and stays open
/s	Modifies the treatment of string after/c or /k. See Windows Help for details
/q	Turns the echo off. Default is echo on
/d	Disables execution of AutoRun commands
/a	Creates ANSI output (the default)
/u	Creates Unicode output
/t:fg	Sets the foreground f and background g colors. The hex codes for f and g are in Table I.
/e:on /e:off	Enables or disables commands extensions. The default is "on"
/f:on /f:off	Enables or disables file and directory name completion
/v:on /v:off	Enables or disables delayed environment variable expansion
string	Specifies the command you want to carry out

Commands that everybody can use

Since the command prompt is often used by systems administrators, many of the commands are specialized for networks and administration. However, the average PC user is not left out; there are some powerful commands for everyday tasks that anybody will find useful. Here we discuss some examples.

For convenience in the examples below, I will use simple names for files and folders without indicating the full path. Please remember that paths for all commands are relative to the folder indicated in the command prompt itself, unless explicitly indicated otherwise. The default reference folder is usually C:\Documents and Settings\(log on name)\. Thus if a reference is made to a file "somefile.txt", the computer assumes you mean C:\Documents and Settings\(log on name)\somefile.txt. If what you really want is C:\someotherfolder\somefile.txt, then you must enter the entire name with the correct path. Note that paths containing spaces have to be enclosed in quotes. A convenient way to be able to open the command prompt in a folder of your choice can be obtained by installing the Microsoft PowerToy “Command Prompt Here”. The right-click context menu will then contain an entry for opening a command prompt in any selected folder. The accessory can be downloaded here. Another way to get file names into the command line without having to type a long path is by using drag and drop. Open a command window and enter the command you want with a space after it. Then use Windows Explorer to open the folder containing the file you want to use. Drag the file over to the command window and drop it. (Drag and drop does not work in Vista.)

Power deleting with the expanded "Del" command

The delete command “del” now has a switch “/s” that provides for deletions in subfolders. Thus the commanddel /s myfolder\* will delete all files in myfolder and all files in any subfolders of myfolder. Note the convenient asterisk wildcard “*”, which allows for multiple deletions in a single user operation. Together with the switch “/s”, a single “del” command can clean out Temp folders and do other useful housekeeping chores. Another switch "/f" will force the deletion of read-only files. If you are sure about what is being deleted, add the “/q” switch to run in quiet mode so you aren’t asked if you really want to delete for every single file. Because of its power, this extended del command has to be used carefully. Any files deleted this way do not go into the Recycle Bin but are permanently removed.

To delete only files with a particular extension EXT, use the commanddel /s myfolder\*.ext Note that this command will delete all files of a particular type in a folder and all its subfolders. One example of its use is to get rid of all temporary files with the extension TMP.

Enhanced management of folders (directories)

The command "rmdir" or its twin "rd" are also expanded compared to the old DOS version. To remove folders (directories), use “rmdir” (just “rd” will also work). Folders must be empty before they can be deleted. However, there is a switch “/s” for deleting subfolders and with this switch files are also deleted. It is like the old command "deltree". The command rd /s myfolder will remove "myfolder" and everything in it. Adding the switch /q for a "quiet" mode is also possible.

Options have also been added to the command for making folders. The command “mkdir” or “md” can now make a whole tree. For example, consider the commandmd new\new1\new2 This will create a folder “new” with a subfolder “new1” that in turn has a subfolder “new2”.

Xcopy- Powerful and versatile way to copy or back up files

For copying large numbers of files or backing up a large folder, the command line is often the fastest and easiest way to go. The command “xcopy” is a very useful and powerful command for this purpose. (The old DOS also had an “xcopy” command but it sometimes had trouble with long file names. The XP version has no such problems.) “xcopy” comes with an alphabet soup of assorted switches that give it great versatility for use as a file backup utility. Enter “xcopy /?” in a command prompt to see them all. For example with the switch “/d:[mm-dd-yyy]” only files changed after a given date are copied. A command that will copy all files from the folder myfolder that have changed since June 1, 2003 to the folder mybackup is given byxcopy myfolder mybackup /d:06-01-2003 If no date is specified the switch “/d” will copy all files that have changed at any time.As is true in general, if there are spaces in a name, the path and file name have to be enclosed in quotes. Adding the switch "/s" provides that subfolders and their contents will also be copied. Other switches provide for read-only and hidden files. Altogether, there are something like 27 command line options for xcopy. More information is on this page.

How to list files with "dir"

The "dir" command is not new but it remains one of the most useful for average PC users. If you have ever wanted to make a list of all the files contained in a particular folder, you will have discovered that the Windows GUI provides no easy way to do this. It is very straightforward, however, when using the command line. The command “dir myfolder” will list the files and folders contained in myfolder. Again, there are switches that provide for various modifications of the command. For example “/h” will show hidden files and “/s” will list the contents of sub-folders in addition to those of the main folder. Of course, the normal output of the command is to the screen. To output to a file instead of the screen, the command isdir myfolder >listmyfolder.txt where “>” is the redirection symbol. The file "listmyfolder.txt" will be created by the command. Output can also be redirected straight to a printer on the LPT1 port but I think it is better to first create a file and then print from there if hardcopy is desired. These lists can be a lot longer than you might think. (These days most printers are on USB, anyway.) This use of dir is also available in Windows 98/Me.

The dir command can also be used to list only files with a given extension. For exampledir myfolder\*.doc /s >listmyfolder.txt will list all Microsoft Word files in myfolder and its subfolders. This form of the command will also list all the directories and sub-directories. If you want a list of filenames only, add the switch /b. The filename will include the full path.

Renaming files with "ren"

Renaming a a large number of files can be tedious. The command ren (also written rename) is somewhat limited but its ability to use wild cards can sometimes be useful. The basic command is ren file1 file2 The renamed file has to stay in the same folder as the original; this command cannot move files to another folder. The wildcard capability can be used to change the extension of all files of a certain type. Thus ren *.txt *.doc will rename all text files to have a DOC extension.

Moving files

The command "move" takes a file from one folder and puts it in another. Its ability to use wild cards makes it useful for moving all the files of a given type to another location. A command of the typemove /y folder1\*.mp3 folder2\will move all MP3 files from folder1 to folder2. The switch " /y" is used if you want to prevent the system from asking if it should overwrite existing files of the same name. To prevent overwriting, use the switch "/-y".

Changing file attributes with "attrib"

In addition to their actual content, files also have a set of properties that characterize them (sometimes called metadata.) One set of these properties are the four attributes read-only, hidden, system, and archive. The archive attribute is primarily used in backup procedures but the other three can be encountered in various contexts. These attributes can be turned on or off with the command "attrib" and its switches. The great utility of this command is that it can act on subfolders with its switch "/s" and can use the wildcard "*". For example, to clear the read-only , system, and hidden attributes from a file use attrib -r -s -h somefile This operation is not uncommon when system files have to be edited. To restore the attributes the command is attrib +r +s +h somefile A common situation where it is desirable to clear the read-only attribute from many files is when files are copied from a CD. By default CD files are normally marked read-only. This can interfere with editing. To clear the read-only attribute from all files in a folder and its subfolders use attrib -r somefolder\*.* /s If you want to process all files of a certain type such as MP3, use attrib -r somefolder\*.mp3 /s

How to make your favorite folder easily accessible in Windows dialog boxes

Another older command that I find handy is "subst". There are certain folders that I use over and over and I like to have ready access to them. One way to do this is to use the command “subst” to assign a drive letter to a folder. Since drives are at the top of My Computer and any folder trees in browse lists, it makes the folder very easy to get to. To map the “Z:” drive to a folder "myfolder", entersubst z: myfolder Unless you are working from the parent folder of "myfolder" you will need the full path for it. The assignment only lasts until the user logs off or the computer is shut down so I have a one-line batch file in my Startup folder that reinstitutes the assignment.

Other commands

There are so many commands that we can only give the briefest sketches here. A list of some that I think might be useful on home computers is given here. I urge you to look into as many as possible since I feel you will be surprised at how useful some can be. For example, there are a whole host of commands for checking network functions and for use on the Internet. (Many have names that begin with “net…”) There are new ones as well as versions of the well-known commands such as “ping” and “tracert”. As more and more people have home networks, these commands are assuming greater significance to the average PC user. Go to this page for more discussion of some networking commands.

Useful command line programs in scripts

Average PC users are not always comfortable using the command line and I have used VBScripts to wrap some of the examples discussed above with an easy-to-use graphical interface. Description of the free scripts and instructions for their use and downloading are at a sister site.

Command Line List and Reference

The complete list of possible commands is quite large. Collected here is a selection of those that I believe are likely to be the most applicable to home PC use.

Many of the commands listed below are also discussed in more detail elsewhere on this site as is indicated by the link "details here". Most commands have switches that are not given in the table. For more information, open a command prompt and enter "commandname /?" (without quotes). Detailed information about these commands and a larger list is available at this Microsoft reference.

Selected list of commands

Command	Description	Example
assoc	Displays or modifies file name extension associations. Used alone, displays a list of all the current file name associations	details here
at	Schedules commands and programs to run on a computer at a specified time and date. Requires the Schedule service. Superseded by schtasks
attrib	Configures file attributes read only, hidden, system	details here
bootcfg	Used to repair or edit the boot.ini file	details here
cd or chdir	Displays the name of the current directory or changes the current folder	cd folderpath
chkdsk	Checks hard drives for errors. With switches,does repairs.	details here
cls	Clears the screen	cls
copy	Copies a file from one location to another	copy somefile somefolder
del	Deletes one or more files	details here
dir	Displays a list of a folder's files and subfolders	details here
echo	Used to display a message or to turn off/on messages in batch scripts	echo message
exit	Exits batch script or current command control	exit
fc	Compares two files and displays the differences between them	fc file1 file2
for	Runs a specified command for each item in a set	details here
fsutil	Displays and configures certain file system properties. A suite of various commands	details here
ftype	Displays or modifies file types used in file name extension associations	details here
getmac	Returns the media access control (MAC) address for your network card	getmac
goto	Directs the Windows command interpreter to a labeled line in a batch program	details here
if	Performs conditional processing in batch programs	details here
ipconfig	Displays all current TCP/IP network configuration values and refreshes Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) and Domain Name System (DNS) settings	details here
md or mkdir	Creates a directory (folder) or subdirectory (subfolder)	details here
more	Displays one screen of output at a time. Used with another command that has extensive output	command |more
move	Moves a file from one folder to another	details here
net	A suite of various networking and service commands	details here
netsh	Network services shell . Complex suite of commands.	details here
netstat	Displays active TCP connections, ports on which the computer is listening, Ethernet statistics, the IP routing table, statistics for the IP, ICMP, TCP, and UDP protocols	details here
path	Sets the command path in the PATH environment variable, which is the set of directories used to search for executable files	details here
pathping	Provides information about network performance and conditions at intermediate hops between a source and destination	details here
pause	Used in batch scripts	pause
ping	Checks connectivity to other networked computers, routers, or Internet sites	details here
popd, pushd	Changes the directory being referenced in a command prompt. Pushd changes the directory and stores the previous directory. Popd changes the current directory to the directory stored by the pushd command	pushd somefolder popd
powercfg	Manages the power settings such as hibernation. Has numerous switches
reg	Adds, changes, and displays registry entries. A suite of various commands	details here
rd or rmdir	Deletes a directory (folder)	details here
ren or rename	Changes the name of a file or a set of files	details here
sc	Used to obtain information about services and to configure them. A suite of various commands	details here
schtasks	Schedules commands and programs to run periodically or at a specific time
set	Displays, sets, or removes environment variables	details here and also here
sfc	System file checker scans and verifies the versions of all protected system files	sfc /scannow
shutdown	Shuts down or restarts a computer	details here
start	Starts an application or opens a new command window	details here
subst	Associates a folder with a drive letter	details here
systeminfo	Displays detailed configuration information about a computer and its operating system	systeminfo | more
taskkill	Ends one or more tasks or processes	details here
tasklist	Displays a list of applications and services with their Process ID (PID) for all tasks running	details here
tree	Graphically displays the directory structure of a folder or drive	tree somefolder
type	Displays the contents of a text file	type somefile.txt
xcopy	Powerful command with many switches for copying and backing up files and folders	details here

Introduction to the Command Prompt

DOS is dead, long live the command line

Before proceeding further, I wish to clear up a common misconception that the command prompt in Windows XP is the same as DOS. Even some experts who know better sometimes refer to the command prompt as a “DOS window”. In fact, Microsoft itself isn't always careful about the distinction. There are some superficial resemblances and some commands with the same name but in fact the old 16-bit DOS is dead. All remnants of DOS are totally gone from the Windows XP kernel (there is a DOS emulator for legacy programs). Windows XP is a 32-bit protected memory system with a totally different approach from the DOS/9X/Me family. The command line in XP has many more capabilities and none of the 16-bit limitations like the restriction to the DOS 8.3 file name format. The augmented capabilities make the command line a powerful tool.

The command prompt window

The command prompt is run from its own window by invoking the Windows XP command interpreter that is provided by the file cmd.exe located in the folder \Windows\System32\. (The old DOS command interpreter is command.com.) If you look in this folder you may also see several files that look suspiciously like some of the old DOS files. They are, however, different 32-bit versions with many new features. The command prompt window can be opened by entering "cmd" (without quotes) into Start-Run or through Start-All Programs-Accessories. A black and white window (the colors can be changed) containing the command prompt will open. The window looks just like the old DOS window but don’t be fooled, it isn’t. Note that it is possible to open several windows containing command prompts, all running independently. It is even possible to run a separate command prompt shell inside another command prompt window.

Internal and external commands

There are two kinds of commands that can be run from the command prompt. There are the internal commands that are built into the command interpreter like “del” and “dir”. These commands can only be run from a command prompt (or by invoking the command interpreter in some other way). They are listed in the table below. There is also a large list of external commands that use an additional executable file that can be run from either the command prompt or the Start-Run line. Details of the various commands are available in several places. In the Professional version of Windows XP there is a help file ntcmds.chm, which has details of all the commands and their many switches. The help file can be opened by entering (without the quotes) "hh ntcmds.chm" into Start-Run. It may or may not be in the Home Edition, depending on what setup you have. However, in both versions a list of many (but not all) of the commands available can be obtained by entering "help" (without quotes) into a command prompt. For more detail on a specific command, enter "help command-name" or "command-name /?" For example to get information on the command xcopy, enter "help xcopy" or "xcopy /?”. Microsoft keeps moving things, but the last time I checked they had a command line reference at this link. Some of the commonly used commands are discussed on this page and in the list given here.

Table I. Internal commands in the command shell

assoc	dir	move	set
break	echo	path	setlocal
call	endlocal	pause	shift
cd	exit	popd	start
cls	for	prompt	time
color	ftype	pushd	title
copy	goto	rd	type
date	if	rem	verify
del	md	ren	volume

Some symbols that are used

In addition to the commands, there are several symbols that are used. These modify or combine the actions of commands. The table below gives a list.

Table II. Symbols used with commands

Symbol	Function	Example
>	Sends output to a named file. If file does not exist, it creates one. Overwrites existing file	command > somefile
>>	Appends output to contents of a named file or creates a file if none exists	command >> somefile
<	Uses contents of a named file as input to a command	command <>
¦	Sends ("pipes") the output of command1 to the input of command2	command1 ¦ command2
&	Used to combine two commands. Executes command1 and then command2	command1 & command2
&&	A conditional combination. Executes command2 if command1 completes successfully	command1 && command2
¦¦	Command2 executes only if command1 does not complete successfully.	command1 ¦¦ command2
@	Used in batch files at the beginning of a line to turn off the display of commands	@echo off

The most commonly used symbols are the two redirection symbols ">" and ">>" and the so-called pipe, "¦" . (Just to make sure there is no confusion, the "pipe" is the symbol above the back slash on most keyboards. On keyboards it has a break in the middle but the break does not always show when you type the symbol. A special code is used to show it on a Web page.)

Cyber Insecurity vs Internet Security

By Bill Wardell

Pandora's box has been opened and the explosion of information both personal and non-personal seems to be limitless and increases exponentially. And according to the National Opinion Poll taken in January of 2007 half the UK harbors a "deep mistrust" due to security concerns. Not only is there a deep public mistrust but, the House of Lords Select Committee on Science and Technology are inquiring into the need for personal Internet Security because of the growing use of home computers, expansion of broadband, internet banking and commerce (Brent MacLean "A new look at Internet Security" Monday September 10, 2007).

Every one is talking extensively ( ISP Associations, Richard Clayton of the Cambridge Security Lab, John Carr of the Children's Charities Coalition on Internet Safety, as well as Johnathan Zittrain of the Oxford Internet Institute and many others), gathering evidence of information and compiling it all for what? Sadly, most businesses and citizens still do not take the threat posed by cyber-insecurity seriously.

You would think with dependency of economies relying on certain infrastructures involving the Internet and information exchange between key service providers, that a disruption would certainly result in loss of lives, loss of property, and the collapse of public confidence globablly. Today simple domestic hacking is not the issue that will bring on devastating destruction like those designed by terrorist activities directed at nuclear plants, banking systems, hospitals, air traffic control as well as domain name servers, the possibilities are limitless. However, it is imperative to remove these personal and public computers from the arsenal of cyber terrorists as well as cybercriminals. With 225 million Internet users in North America (Nielson-Netratings), the personal computer dominates the Internet and at the same time is the most vulnerable. Millions of PCs are under the control of "zombie masters". Red Herring, the technical business journal, estimated that in 2005 a 172,000 computers were hijacked and taken over each day and became "zombies" and under the control of a hacker. By 2007, Secure Computing, which tracks the Internet landscape, identified more than 500,000 new zombies per day that were hijacked and under the control of "bot" herders. Triple the level only two years earlier. The FBI says that because of their wideley distributed capabilities, botnets are a growing threat to national security, the national information infrastructure, and the economy.

The total number of compromised computers on the Internet is not known; however, Vince Cerf, Father of the Internet, estimates that about 150 million PCs currently connected to the Internet and are part of botnets. Based on FBI reports and other independent researchers the aforementioned number may be significantly higher. The typical home computer is attached to "always on" broadband facilities, severely compromised with malware (viruses, spyware, Trojans, keyloggers, etc.), usually without degradation of their ordinary capabilities and doing the bidding of their "zombie master". Hacking, virus dissemination, denial od service (DoS), theft of personal data, ID fraud, keyloggers, spamming, distribution of pornography, spying through webcams, click fraud and many other cyber exploits are all now almost wholly orchestrated via zombie networks.

Computers weren't designed for security; they were designed to perform complex work. As complex as computers are, each computer has 65,000 open ports (doorways) to the Internet; a simple element that leaves them vulnerable. You might wonder why an individual would want control of a herd of zombies, there are several reasons. For exploits whether it's a denial of service, to bring down the servers of banks, major corporations, or a competitor. Inherently, whenever a computer says "hello" to another computer, that computer must respond with a "hello" back. A "bot herder" with tens of thousands of computers under their control has all of them say hello at the same time to your computer or a network of computers, what do think happens. Most likely the responding PC or server is overwhelmed and crashes, it simply can't respond to that many hellos. A botnet can be purchased on the black market to carry out attacks. Zombie-making virus kits can be purchased on the net, requiring little or no technical knowledge and which provides the breeding ground for future international cybercriminals and the training ground for cybergangs (terrorists).

What are we to do? Implementing new laws when it's already difficult to pursue and in some cases unenforceable and with cross-border criminal investigations not to mention the resources needed are vast and costly with little results.

How do we secure the Internet now? One idea is to improve administrative, regulatory, and technical solutions to produce a safer Net and then apply resources to fortify banks, airports, power plants from the insecure internet we have allowed to develop. It begins with securing the end-user and creating an awareness that we are all responsible for the safety of the Internet and we all need to "Become Responsible Cybercitizens".

We the people have to make an effort to make sure our machines run clean and free of malware (viruses, spyware, trojans, etc.). That involves current patches, updates, upgrades, and professional software technologies. It also obligates everyone of us to make sure that we have not been compromised by having our computers serviced by a security technician and assured that there is no malware present. There is a service, the Invisus PC security service, that will provide a fully managed computer security service including unlimited security technical support plus several additional benefits that will earn you the title of a "Responsible Cybercitizen".

Requiring ISPs to scan data traffic going to and from computers attached to their networks for unusual patterns of traffic and then deny them Internet access until it has been determined they are not zombies. We can also ask the ISP to provide remote patches, updates and software updates. However, the ISPs will bulk at the cost, liability, autonomy, support, and delivery. Or have our ISPs provide a value-added service similar to subscription-based services offered by the Invisus PC security service which not only provides for a hassle-free computing experience but, is a total security package locking down the end-users computer for a minimum monthly fee.

In order to succeed we must meld security and convenience. The consumer doesn't want to be responsible for their security. All they want to know is how to turn their computer on and off. Unfortunately, we can't have our cake and eat it too. The time has come to learn how to maintain a safe and healthy computer (saving the consumer both time and money) void of infections that keep spreading and infecting other computers. It's not necessary to be technically savvy to operate a computer, like your automobile there's no need to be a technically savvy mechanic but, it is important to make sure your car is in good operating condition not only for its performance but, for the safety of others. We have laws to assure us the security of cars and their owners are safe. Those who are ignorant of how to maintain the safety of an automobile are required to perform certain responsibilities to insure the safety of their vehicle for others as well as the owner of the car. To insure the safety of others we require a certain level of education and knowledge of the rules of the road. You can't drive without insurance or a drivers license, which means that you have undertaken and understand some level of instructions.

You may disagree but, unfortunately as impossible as it may be practically, politically, and ethically, to require every consumer... including the ignorant, the poor, and even the wealthy, to be legally responsible for keeping their computer in a state of reasonable security, the fact is you are guilty until proven innocent. So, the next best approach might be to offer to try and educate them but we probably cannot impose a "computer-driving license". Again, we may be able to offer an alternative by requiring the consumer to take necessary steps to assure that their computers are serviced and up-to-date with professional security software and that they are checked and given a clean bill of health; free of malware.

Internet Security Product Review (NetCom3)

By Ronald Hudkins

As you can easily assume with the rich history of NetCom3 since 1998 in is its proven track record to secure customer's sensitive Internet interactions by providing consumer abilities to remove Spyware, Adware, and to optimize and fix PC errors that allow PCs to run faster and error free; it is no wonder their software is used by well over 8 million people in the USA, Canada, Europe, India and the UK.

With the popularity, availability and ever increasing ease of use of computer technology for both personal and business needs the corresponding product availability of software programs has filled the retail shelves as well. One can buy program software to solve any computer security, optimization, entertainment or efficiency enhancement consideration that comes to mind.

Though software manufactures are quick to keep up with market demands and some have been savvy enough to make some security and optimization software solutions multi-functional; many consumers past and present still find themselves with a shelf of products designed specifically to do this, that or something else. Until lately, there has not been a credible software suite that is virtually stand alone in its ability to both optimize and provide computer systems security in an ever increasing Hacker laden Internet experience. Evaluations of NetCom3 have determined that this software actually catches more Spyware than Trend Micro, Windows Live One Care, PC-cillin, PC Tools, AVG Internet Security and Norton security software products.

NetCom3 works like a firewall for Pop Up advertising. You would have no aggravating experiences with floating ads, mass mailing service spam and any other form of Pop Ups that inundate your computer screen while surfing the web. The blocking ability of this software is endless in its abilities to eliminate potential script viruses from installing on your computer, pop up ad attacks and other drive-by downloads beyond your recent control. NetCom3 keeps these forms of Spyware, Adware and other forms of Malware in constant check. The simple process of downloading music, movie or game files, installing free programs or simply visiting any given website no longer becomes an issue.

The NetCom3 Security software suit registry cleaning option will most assuredly sustain maximum processing performance by your personal and business computer(s). The software deep scan, defragmentation, and optimization of your registry by this software suite will keep any Windows platform at peek efficiency and disallow system slowdowns, crashes and seizures. The NetCom3 software will maintain maximum CPU processing power, memory, RAM and optimize your Internet settings allowing the achievement of faster information medium downloads.

The Spyware removal function of NetCom3 is updated daily and as such, has nothing less than an impeccable ability to remove hostile code configured to steal identities, financial information and other personal information you strive to keep private. NetCom3 is in actuality a software security and optimization solution that is comprised of over 5 complementary products that have a worry free installation process and subsequent ease of use interface.

Sadly, despite the fact the Federal Trade Commission, FBI, TV advertising, Major newspaper headlines and Radio spots tell us that identity theft and credit card fraud is the #1 white collar crimes in America, most computers are not just vulnerable but remain; completely unprotected. The Netom3 security suite was specifically designed to be the perfect support bundle for Windows PC operating systems that proclaim they function in a secure and optimized environment with their existing and complementary antiviral products.

Ronald Hudkins is the webmaster for the site named Registry Repair Fixing and Software Solutions located at http://www.registryfixing.com and this site addresses Registry Repair Concerns, overviews and compares registry repair programs designed to check and fix a PC's invalid pathways, empty register keys, traces of uninstalled software, orphan references, spyware, corrupt files and numerous other areas of potential troubles within a computer registry

Free Tweaks to Speed Up Your Computer - Speed Up the Internet

By Willie Stanford

Are you trying to get things done online; but you notice that your computer has a mind of its own? It keeps freezing up and crashing? Well it just means that your computer may have too much clutter on it and it needs attention. In this article we are going to provide some free tweaks to speed up computer so that you can speed up internet process.

First you may want to consider removing or uninstalling any programs or applications that are sitting on your computer and you have not used in sometime. Throughout the course of our computers life span; we all download different types of software and application programs that we feel that may be beneficial to us; however we never find ourselves using them more than once. Yet they sit on our computer dormant. This does affect our computers performance and can be easily solved by just taking the time to remove the unused applications and giving our computer more speed.

If you have any applications that you have not used in say six months time frame; chances are you will probably not be using them again. Well now it is time to remove them. So lets walk through the procedure.

Go to the "Start button" and then choose "my computer" when the screen appears on your computer you will want locate the one that says "remove add programs" choose that one. Okay now you will want to scroll down and choose the application that you want to remove. When you click on it; your computer is going to ask you if you are sure that you want to remove it; just click ok. Now you can sit back and wait until your computer goes through the process of removing it from your PC.

You may be asked to turn off your PC or restart it; but the computer will let you know what you need to do. Once it has went through the entire procedure that application should not be on your computer anymore and you may begin to notice that this is one of the free tweaks to speed up computer that may even speed up internet service.

Not fast enough; okay try speeding up Internet Explorer; if you are experiencing problems with Internet Explorer; then you should try cleaning out the temporary files. So we are going to want to open up Internet Explorer, click on "tools" then hit "Internet Options" A screen will appear and you will hit "delete files" once again you will be asked if you are sure and just confirm that you do want to continue.

Then sit back and let the computer do its thing. Once you finish these two free tweaks to speed up computer; you should notice a huge difference in the way your PC performs.

If you found this article on "free tweaks to speed up computer - speed up internet" helpful; visit our site below. You can easily and freely scan your computer today to make sure that it is performing at its best and fastest possible speed.

Internet Safety Tip - How to Check a Computer For Internet Pornography

By Matthew Yarro

Everyone is concerned about Internet pornography and Internet safety; but not everyone knows how to check a computer to see if anyone has been accessing Internet porn. Whether you suspect that someone has been abusing pornography or not, if you have computer and an Internet connection in your home, you need to check and check regularly.

Starting with the Internet Browsers

One of the first applications to check are all of the Internet browsers installed on your computer-that's right, I said all of them. There are several browser applications that exist and almost all of them are free to download and use. Some you may have heard of-such as Internet Explorer, Firefox, Safari, and Opera-and others you may not have heard of-such as Netscape Navigator, Maxthon, Avant, Ace Explorer, and many others.

Why is it important to check all of the browsers installed? Because, each browser maintains its own records of which websites have been accessed. If you check your Internet Explorer regularly, but your child uses Firefox to access Internet pornography, you would never find any clues. You have to know what browsers are installed on your computer and check them all.

What Browsers are Installed?

To determine what browsers are installed on a Windows computer, click on start > control panel > add and remove programs. This utility will show you a list of every application that has been installed on your computer. Scroll through the list. If there is a name that you don't recognize, use Google to determine what the application is. Keep a list of the browser application you find so that you can check them.

You might also want to make it very clear to your family that, as one of your Internet-use rules, only one or two browsers can be installed on the computer. If someone keeps adding new browsers to your computer, chances are you have a problem.

Checking the Browser History

The next step is to launch each of the Internet browsers one by one, and check the browser's history. To open the browser history, click the Control and H keys simultaneously (Command and H key for Macintosh).

The panel that opens shows you all of the websites and URLs that have been accessed. When you are reviewing them, look for obvious word combinations that might suggest an inappropriate website. You can also click on any of the sites listed to open them in the browser window.

Some sites may not be what they appear to be. For a very long time, whitehouse.com was a pornographic website. So if you don't recognize some of the websites you see, click on them and make sure they are clean and appropriate.

Deleted Caches

Unfortunately, a person can easily delete the browser cache, removing any evidence that he or she has been accessing pornographic content. If you check a browser's history and it is empty, and you know for certain that someone was just using that browser to surf the Internet, someone has deleted the cache. Deleting the cache is a big warning sign that someone is doing something they shouldn't be doing.

There are legitimate reasons for clearing the cache. But, as another house rule, only parents should be allowed to clear the cache.

Other Files Swapping Applications

Furthermore, browsers are not the only applications that an individual can use to exchange pornographic content over the Internet. FTP clients, P2P clients, email, instant messaging, cell phones, thumb drives, iPods, and many other applications and devices can all be used to exchange files. Just because you checked a computer's browser history doesn't mean that somebody hasn't been accessing pornography.

For further investigation, what you need is a tool that allows you to quickly check for pornographic content throughout a computer system. You should consider purchasing a pornography-detection tool.

Pornography Detection Tool

A pornography-detection tool, such as SurfRecon, allows you to quickly and easily scan a computer system for pornographic images and/or video. The advantages of SurfRecon is that it automatically finds and identifies pornographic content for you-not only in the browser caches, but anywhere pornography could be hidden on the computer system or on any other device that could be connected to the computer.

If your child has a collection of CD-roms, DVD-roms, thumb drives, external hard drives, or other digital devices, you may want to scan those occasionally, along with the family computer system.

SurfRecon should be an important part of your Internet safety strategy When combined with an Internet filter it offers a superior level of parental control and Internet protection.

The Element of Surprise

Lastly, make sure to pop-in on your children and others unexpectedly. When you do, don't just asked them what they are doing, push right into the chair next to them and start checking what applications they have open, check the history quickly to see what websites they have been visiting, and see what content is still open in the browser window.

Ambushing them like this will give you access to applications and history before they have a chance to exit or delete anything. It may seem a bit pushy, but when you children's safety and well being is at stake, it is worth it.

Anonymity versus Accountability

One of the side effects that result from you regularly checking a computer or other devices is the loss of your child's online anonymity. If he or she no longer thinks that she can do anything and get away with it, she is more likely to act in a responsible way-especially if you surprise her now and then with a quick SurfRecon scan.

The fear that at any time mom or dad could check their computer system for pornography may be just the nudge your child needs to realize that messing around with porn simply isn't worth the risk.

Activity Internet 0nline Marketing Information, Computer, Fraud Tips

By Bruce Chambers

NETWORKING

You didn't learn it at school, or at the office. Would you believe your mother?

Networking is more then shaking hands, and giving out business cards. Forget about the endless networking skills you may have learned at the office. We just have to put the few lessons mother taught us into practice. As a kid we were always in a hurry to find something better. Our mothers taught us patience.

If your in a hurry you miss the value that can be built taking time with building relations in networking. Establishing a relationship by taking time, gives you a solid framework in networking building.

Your mother worked hard as an example. This is one of the better examples in networking she gave you. That's why it is called networking, not sit work. For networking to be successful you have to work hard and put out the effort.

Remember her telling you to share your things with others? Some of our best resources are time, money, and information we are willing to give to the relationship. They appreciate us when we are willing to give to the relationship.

She always made you clean up after yourself. In networking, follow-up is required. Whether it's a promise to meet someone, or just a thank you is one of the most important lessons of networking. These life lessons we learned from mother during childhood are a solid basis's for strong networking skills.
Thank you mother for all your help.

The biggest time spend in selling, more so in mail order or on the Internet is developing a relationship with your customer and building trust. If you did a good job in the first two, closing a sale will take the smallest of your time spend with your customer.

CARD TRANSACTIONS REPORT TO IRS

Starting in 2011, banks or other companies that process credit cards must report the amount of the payments a merchant receives on card transactions to the IRS. The law will not apply to merchants doing less than 200 transactions totalling less than $20,000.

SCREENSAVERS

If you are looking for something different remember windows has a great choice. Don't unload any free ones from anywhere, could have bugs, and almost impossible to delete.

For windows screen savers, right click on a blank area of desktop. Click "properties", "screen savers". Click the arrow to the right of "screen savers" just below the monitor. Pick the one you want.
For the best information for your site or to check your competitors for persons who use Google AdWords, try out the Google AdWords Keyword Tool.

Just enter keyword and choose from four possible data display types.
https://adwords.google.com/select/KeywordToolExternal

ADVANCED NEWS SEARCHES

A new offering from Google - Advanced News Search, allows visitors to scour headlines by date, location, exact phrases or publication. People can use it retrieve articles from more than 4,500 news outlets publishing on the Web.

WEB PAGE TRANSLATION
This feature is particularly helpful if your search has non-English results. Google offers a facility to auto-martially translate a page for you in English. Currently, Google supports Italian, French, Spanish, German, and Portuguese languages.

LIGHTSIDE

A GOOD NIGHT'S SLEEP

All the rooms were taken when the soldier got into town. After pleading with the desk clerk, the clerk remarked. "Well, I do have a double room with only one occupant, but to tell you the truth he snores so loudly that people in adjoining room have complained. I am not sure it would be worth it to you". "No problem." The tired army guy assured him, "I will take it'.

When he came down for breakfast the next morning the clerk asked, "How did you sleep?" "Never better", replied the soldier. The desk clerk was impressed. "No problem with the other guy snoring", the clerk asked?" "No I shut him up in no time", explained the soldier. "How did you manage that?" asked the clerk.

"Well, he was already in bed, snoring away, when I walked into the room, so I gave him a kiss on the cheek", explained the soldier". "Then, I whispered in his ear Good night beautiful, and he sat up all night watching me.

COMPUTER WARNING

The tip on unplugging your computer from the wall outlet during a thunderstorm was sound advice. And we're coming to the season when thunderstorms become more frequent. But let's take that advice one small step further. Take the time to also unplug your modem from the telephone line! Surges can also pass through the telephone lines and even a small surge of static electricity can fry the delicate circuitry in your modem.

Your Clipboard can be seen by any hacker. For your protection you should not copy passwords, credit card numbers or other sensitive information. To prevent this from happening go to: Internet Explorer: Click Tools, Internet Options, Security tab, Internet section. Go down to the Security level box, and click the Custom Level button. Scroll down to Scripting, and find the entry, "Allow Programmatic clipboard access" or "Allow paste operations via script".
Click Disable or Prompt. Click OK.

The American Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is warning that hitman scam is back in a big way. The hacker behind it is sending out a flood of emails threatening to kill the recipient if he does not receive several thousand dollars.

This scam first popped up in December 2006, then again this last February. Some personal info is included in the emails, to make it look like the crook knows all about you.
The FBI advises that you just ignore the email. Report it to the Internet Crime Complaint Center.

ONLINE RENTAL FRAUD

June, August, September, January are competitive months for rental suites.

There are a lot of fraudulence ads being placed free on Craigslist etc. Crooks ply on the shortage of apartments by placing ads on these sites. When someone answers they are informed owner had to go out of the country for a funeral or what ever. They had no one that they could have left the keys with so the apartment could be checked.

Now comes the kicker. If you're interested in renting the apartment, send $900.00 as damage deposit, and $1200.00 for the first month's rent and the key would be courier to them.

There is a limited supply of apartments on the market, so this is a huge target for scammers.

Don't fall for this scam. People need to do their homework, physically see the apartment, talk to the owners' and have a written contract.

WARNING, CAR JACKERS IN MALL

CST. Eric Doran #656 Chatham - Kent Police Court Services
Here's the latest tactic by car thieves.

Heads up everyone! Please keep this circulating. You walk across the parking lot, unlock your car and get inside. You start the engine and shift into reverse when you look into the rear-view mirror to back out of your parking space. You notice a piece of paper stuck to the middle of the rear window. So, you shift into Park, unlock your doors and jump out of your car to remove that paper (or whatever it is) that is obstructing your view.

When you reach the back of your car, that is when the car jackers appear out of nowhere, jumps into your car and take off. They practically mow you down as they speed off in your car. And guess what, ladies? I bet your purse is still in the car. So now the carjacker has your car, your home address, your money, and your keys. Your home and your whole identity are now compromised!

Men, you too are at risk. You can say good bye to your briefcase, and if your like many guys, who keep their wallet in the glove compartment, with your driver's licence, credit cards, plus.

If you see a piece of paper stuck to your back window, just drive away, remove the paper later and be thankful that you read this e-mail. I hope you will forward this to friends and family, especially to women. A purse contains all kinds of personal information and identification documents, and you certainly do NOT want this to fall into the wrong hands.

Phishing still catches millions of persons who give out their personal information, believing the e-mail they received was from a bank, PayPal, taxation branch, or some other Government
Department. Further, instead of typing in the URL supplied by the Phisher they just clink on it. Just because the URL has the proper heading doesn't mean it is going to a legit URL. In phishing they have it redirected if you click on the URL and they get your personal information.

We trust our Government to safeguard the information we give them. But did you know that the government is among the biggest sources of ID leaks and that penalties for ID theft are rarely imposed on those who are negligent.

For more information on how to protect your computer and ID theft check out the website below.

NEW WEBSITE FIGHTING CRIME

The B.C. Crime Prevention Association has just launch a new website last week. Originally set up to support law enforcement, now available to everyone.

Information on cyber bulling, resource guides, blogs, printed materials including copyright law, staking, fraud awareness, I.D.theft, senior safety, and crime-proofing property.
Check out: www.bccpa.org/library

PROTECT YOURSELF AND YOUR COMPUTER TOO.

Internet Explorer sorts web sites for you, Internet, local Internet, trusted sites, restricted sites.

If you don't see the slider in any zone, click the default button. For restricted sites zones, I would suggest the slider to be at the very top, on high. It is the safest way to browse. It also is the most restricted. But with all the sites that could have harmful content that may damage your computer, necessary.
Don't forget to click OK to exit.

COMPUTER SECURITY TERMS

Adware is software that causes advertising to pop up on your computer display; without your permission.

Malware is malicious software that includes viruses, spyware, and other types of harmful programs.

Badware is adware or spyware that tracks your online activities and provides that information to others without your knowledge.

Spyware is software that's installed on your PC via downloaded programs. It transmits data to others about your business, behaviour on line.

A virus is typically a small, malicious program that can infect programs and replicate itself.

Spam, Virus, Spyware, Phishing, is still big headaches for people online.
Consumers have lost over $9 billion; more then 3 million computers have had to be replaced because of viruses.

DROP SHIP, WHOLESALE

SaleHoo makes importing easy. SaleHoo is a leading directory of drop ship, wholesale, liquidation and manufacturing distributors, and presents a constant and reliable supply of wanted items. Start your importing adventure with SaleHoo, and then spread your wings over the world.

ADVANCED NEWS SEARCHES

A new offering from Google - Advanced News Search, allows visitors to scour headlines by date, location, exact phrases or publication. People can use it retrieve articles from more than 4,500 news outlets publishing on the Web.

WEB PAGE TRANSLATION

This feature is particularly helpful if your search has non-English results. Google offers a facility to auto-martially translate a page for you in English. Currently, Google supports Italian, French, Spanish, German, and Portuguese languages.

Learn and Earn. Good luck.