Is it better to turn my computer off when I am not using it?

Is it better to turn my computer off when I am not using it?


There are at least three situations that force you to leave your computer on 24 hours a day:

You are on a network, and the network administrators back up files and/or upgrade software over the network at night. If that is the case, and you want your machine backed up or upgraded, then you need to leave it on all the time.

You are using your machine as some sort of server. For example, xcitefun.net has a machine that creates the images for any article. It needs to be on 24 hours a day. If your machine acts as a file server, print server, Web server, etc., on a LAN (local area network) or the Internet, then you need to leave it on all the time.

If you are running something like SETI@home and you want to produce as many result sets as possible, you need to leave your machine on all the time.
If you do not fall into any of these categories, then you have a choice about whether or not to leave your machine on.

One reason why you might want to turn it off is economic. A typical PC consumes something like 300 watts. Let's assume that you use your PC for four hours every day, so the other 20 hours it is on would be wasted energy. If electricity costs 10 cents per kilowatt-hour in your area, then that 20 hours represents 60 cents a day. Sixty cents a day adds up to $219 per year.

It's possible to use the energy-saving features build into modern machines and cut that figure in half. For example, you can have the monitor and hard disk power down automatically when not in use. You'll still be wasting $100 per year.

The argument for leaving your computer on all the time is that turning it on and off somehow stresses the computer's components. For example, when the CPU chip is running, it can get quite hot, and when you turn the machine off it cools back down. The expansion and contraction from the heat probably has some effect on the solder joints holding the chip in place, and on the micro-fine details on the chip itself. But here are three ways to look at that:

If it were a significant problem, then machines would be failing all the time. In fact, hardware is very reliable (software is a whole different story, and there is a lot to be said for rebooting every day).
I don't know a single person who leaves the TV on 24 hours a day. TVs contain many of the same components that computers do. TVs certainly have no problems being cycled on and off.
Most vendors will sell you a three-year full-replacement warranty for about $150. If you are worried about it, spend some of the money you are saving by turning your machine off and buy a service contract. Over three years, you come out way ahead!

Why it is so important to have Computer Caches?

Why it is so important to have Computer Caches?

If you have been shopping for a computer, then you have heard the word "cache." Modern computers have both L1 and L2 caches, and many now also have L3 cache. You may also have gotten advice on the topic from well-meaning friends, perhaps something like "Don't buy that Celeron chip, it doesn't have any cache in it!"

It turns out that caching is an important computer-science process that appears on every computer in a variety of forms. There are memory caches, hardware and software disk caches, page caches and more. Virtual memory is even a form of caching.

A Simple Example: Before Cache

Caching is a technology based on the memory subsystem of your computer. The main purpose of a cache is to accelerate your computer while keeping the price of the computer low. Caching allows you to do
your computer tasks more rapidly.
To understand the basic idea behind a cache system, let's start with a super-simple example that uses a librarian to demonstrate caching concepts. Let's imagine a librarian behind his desk. He is there to give you the books you ask for. For the sake of simplicity, let's say you can't get the books yourself -- you have to ask the librarian for any book you want to read, and he fetches it for you from a set of stacks in a storeroom (the library of congress in Washington, D.C., is set up this way). First, let's start with a librarian without cache.

The first customer arrives. He asks for the book Moby Dick. The librarian goes into the storeroom, gets the book, returns to the counter and gives the book to the customer. Later, the client comes back to return the book. The librarian takes the book and returns it to the storeroom. He then returns to his counter waiting for another customer. Let's say the next customer asks for Moby Dick (you saw it coming...). The librarian then has to return to the storeroom to get the book he recently handled and give it to the client. Under this model, the librarian has to make a complete round trip to fetch every book -- even very popular ones that are requested frequently. Is there a way to improve the performance of the librarian?

Yes, there's a way -- we can put a cache on the librarian. In the next section, we'll look at this same example but this time, the librarian will use a caching system.

A Simple Example: After Cache

Let's give the librarian a backpack into which he will be able to store 10 books (in computer terms, the librarian now has a 10-book cache). In this backpack, he will put the books the clients return to him, up to a maximum of 10. Let's use the prior example, but now with our new-and-improved caching librarian.
The day starts. The backpack of the librarian is empty. Our first client arrives and asks for Moby Dick. No magic here -- the librarian has to go to the storeroom to get the book. He gives it to the client. Later, the client returns and gives the book back to the librarian. Instead of returning to the storeroom to return the book, the librarian puts the book in his backpack and stands there (he checks first to see if the bag is full -- more on that later). Another client arrives and asks for Moby Dick. Before going to the storeroom, the librarian checks to see if this title is in his backpack. He finds it! All he has to do is take the book from the backpack and give it to the client. There's no journey into the storeroom, so the client is served more efficiently.

What if the client asked for a title not in the cache (the backpack)? In this case, the librarian is less efficient with a cache than without one, because the librarian takes the time to look for the book in his backpack first. One of the challenges of cache design is to minimize the impact of cache searches, and modern hardware has reduced this time delay to practically zero. Even in our simple librarian example, the latency time (the waiting time) of searching the cache is so small compared to the time to walk back to the storeroom that it is irrelevant. The cache is small (10 books), and the time it takes to notice a miss is only a tiny fraction of the time that a journey to the storeroom takes.

From this example you can see several important facts about caching:

Cache technology is the use of a faster but smaller memory type to accelerate a slower but larger memory type.

When using a cache, you must check the cache to see if an item is in there. If it is there, it's called a cache hit. If not, it is called a cache miss and the computer must wait for a round trip from the larger, slower memory area.

A cache has some maximum size that is much smaller than the larger storage area.

It is possible to have multiple layers of cache. With our librarian example, the smaller but faster memory type is the backpack, and the storeroom represents the larger and slower memory type. This is a one-level cache. There might be another layer of cache consisting of a shelf that can hold 100 books behind the counter. The librarian can check the backpack, then the shelf and then the storeroom. This would be a two-level cache.
Computer Caches
A computer is a machine in which we measure time in very small increments. When the microprocessor accesses the main memory (RAM), it does it in about 60 nanoseconds (60 billionths of a second). That's pretty fast, but it is much slower than the typical microprocessor. Microprocessors can have cycle times as short as 2 nanoseconds, so to a microprocessor 60 nanoseconds seems like an eternity.
What if we build a special memory bank in the motherboard, small but very fast (around 30 nanoseconds)? That's already two times faster than the main memory access. That's called a level 2 cache or an L2 cache. What if we build an even smaller but faster memory system directly into the microprocessor's chip? That way, this memory will be accessed at the speed of the microprocessor and not the speed of the memory bus. That's an L1 cache, which on a 233-megahertz (MHz) Pentium is 3.5 times faster than the L2 cache, which is two times faster than the access to main memory.

Some microprocessors have two levels of cache built right into the chip. In this case, the motherboard cache -- the cache that exists between the microprocessor and main system memory -- becomes level 3, or L3 cache.

There are a lot of subsystems in a computer; you can put cache between many of them to improve performance. Here's an example. We have the microprocessor (the fastest thing in the computer). Then there's the L1 cache that caches the L2 cache that caches the main memory which can be used (and is often used) as a cache for even slower peripherals like hard disks and CD-ROMs. The hard disks are also used to cache an even slower medium -- your Internet connection.

Ways To Reduce WRINKLES

Ways To Reduce WRINKLES

Sleep On Your Back ?

The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) cautions that sleeping in certain positions night after night leads to
"sleep lines" -- wrinkles that become etched into the surface of the skin and don't disappear once you're up.
Sleeping on your side increases wrinkles on cheeks and chin, while sleeping facedown gives you a furrowed brow.
To reduce wrinkle formation, sleep on your back.


Eat More Fish -- Particularly Salmon ?

Not only is salmon (along with other cold-water fish) a great source of protein -- one of the building blocks of
great skin -- it's also an awesome source of an essential fatty acid known as omega-3.
Essential fatty acids nourish skin and keep it plump and youthful, helping to reduce wrinkles.


Don't Squint -- Get Reading Glasses! ?

The AAD says repetitive facial movement -- like squinting -- overworks facial muscles, forming a groove beneath the skin's surface.
This groove eventually becomes a wrinkle. Keep those eyes wide: Wear reading glasses if you need them.
And get savvy about sunglasses, which can protect skin around the eyes from sun damage
and keep you from squinting.


Slather On Alpha-hydroxy Acids (AHAs)?


These natural fruit acids lift away the top layer of dead skin cells, reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles,
particularly around the eyes. New evidence shows that in higher concentrations,
AHAs may help stimulate collagen production.


Trade Coffee for Cocoa ?

In a study published in a 2006 issue of the Journal of Nutrition, researchers found that cocoa containing
high levels of two dietary flavonols (epicatchin and catechin) protected skin from sun damage,
improved circulation to skin cells, affected hydration, and made the skin look and feel smoother. Delicious!


Don't Over-Wash Your Face

According to dermatologists at the University of Maryland Medical Center, tap water strips skin of its natural
barrier oils and moisture that protect against wrinkles. Wash them off too often, and you wash away protection.
And unless your soap contains skin-protecting moisturizers, use a facial cleanser instead of soap.


Try Topical Vitamin C ?

Studies at Tulane University, among others, have found that vitamin C can increase collagen production,
protect against damage from UVA and UVB rays, correct pigmentation problems, and improve inflammatory skin conditions.
The key, however, may be the type of vitamin C used. To date, most research points to L-ascorbic acid
as the most potent for wrinkle relief


Eat More Soy ?

Research shows that soy may help protect against or heal some of the sun's photoaging damage.
One study, published in the European Journal of Nutrition, reported that a soy-based supplement
(whose ingredients also included vitamins, fish protein, and extracts from white tea, grapeseed, and tomato)
improved the skin's structure and firmness after just six months.


Practice Good Skin Care Basics ?

If you really want to keep your skin looking young, start with the essentials.
You've heard these recommendations before, but they bear repeating:

* Avoid the sun
* Wear sunscreen
* Don't smoke
* Use moisturizer

Quit Smoking Tips

Quit Smoking Tips

Ideas to Help You Quit
Want to Quit?

You promised yourself that you would finally quit smoking.

It isn't easy giving up something that is so much a part of what you do every day.

But you are not alone. Over 1 million people each year decide to quit and are successful.
Tried Quitting Before?

Maybe once, maybe more...

You started out feeling the time was right, but for whatever reason, you're smoking again. Now, you're asking whether it's worth it to try quitting again. You bet it is!

Quitting is hard, but don't give up!

Some smokers try a number of times before they quit for good. Studies show that each time you try to quit, the more likely you will be to eventually succeed. With each try, you are better able to know what helps and what hurts. Any attempt to quit is a step in a healthier direction.
Pregnant?

There's no better time to quit.

And for two very good reasons:

You.

Your baby.

Even if someone you know smoked during pregnancy and had a problem-free delivery, smoking puts your baby's health at risk. Quitting at any time during pregnancy is still the best chance for you and your baby to get a fresh start.

It is also important to remember that infants and children exposed to second-hand smoke are more likely to develop health problems such as chronic ear infections and asthma. Helping to eliminate these health risks is another good reason to quit.
How Do I Start?

Make a Plan

You may want to:

Consult a health care professional to choose a quit smoking plan that is best for you.

Set a quit date and stick to it.

Get the support and understanding of your family, friends, and co-workers.

Get rid of all tobacco products and ashtrays.

Get Support and Encouragement

U.S. Public Health Service (PHS)-funded research shows the more support you have, the greater your chance for success.

Join a quit smoking program or start your own quit smoking group. Check with your health care professional, local hospitals, the American Cancer Society, American Lung Association, or American Heart Association for schedules for existing groups.

Learn How to Handle the Urge to Smoke

Be aware of the things that may cause you to smoke, such as:

Other smokers.

Stress.

Depression.

Alcohol.

What Works?

Current treatments

There are no magic solutions for quitting smoking. But, if you are ready to quit, effective treatments are available that can help reduce the urge to smoke.

Studies show that almost everyone can benefit from these nicotine and non-nicotine replacement therapies.

Nicotine Replacement Therapy

Nicotine patch.

Nicotine gum.

Nicotine nasal spray.*

Nicotine inhaler.*

Non-Nicotine Therapy

Bupropion SR.*

Google Instant Search: How to Enable or Disable Google Instant?

Google Instant Search: How to Enable or Disable Google Instant?

Google Instant is the latest search enhancement. His is to show the results as your type. The main aim for this pushing of technology is to help the user get better and faster results. The main idea of this has emerged from the fact that generally type slowly but read quickly, “typically taking 300 milliseconds between keystrokes, but only 30 milliseconds (a tenth of the time!) to glance at another part of the page.” Thus, this signifies that it will be more beneficial to scan a results page as you type.

To understand how it works, we shall discuss it in details for you. As you will be starting to search your search terms, Google Instant Search will automatically show results for a popular search that does begin with those letters. Now, if you do not see the results you desire, then you should just keep typing and the results shall be updated dynamically. The basics of search in Google do remain the same, and so do the way of ranking results and displaying the relevant ones.

One of the most useful changes you shall observe while using this feature is that you shall find the most appropriate content much faster, without even having to finish typing your entire search term, or even pressing “search”. Google Instant can save 2-5 seconds per search.  Another advantage is that you shall even be entitled to viewing of results as you type, thus formulating a better search term by providing instant feedback. Also, at times when you don’t know exactly what to search, predictions may be of great help in guiding your search. Because of the instant results, you can actually see the entire path in steps till you reach your desired result.

Earlier, before the use of Google Instant, a typical search would take 9 seconds to enter a search term, but now the case is not so. For information, 15 new technologies are at present contributing to the Google Instant functionality.

To either enable or disable Google Instant, you shall follow the steps given below:

    * Go to the Settings tab of the top right of your Google search home page.
    * Select the Search Settings from the drop down menu.
    * Select “Use Google Instant — predictions and results appear while typing” at the Google Instant category to enable Google Instant.
    * Otherwise, select “Do not use Google Instant” at the Google Instant category to disable Google Instant.
    * Now, click on the “Save Preferences” button at the lower right corner of the page.

There you have it, a successful enabling or disabling of Google Instant. Google Instant will actually appear to you as a conversation with your search engine, as you will be receiving instant feedbacks from your search engine, and thus in a step by step manner escort you to your search results faster and accurately. If you also wish to avoid seeing of inappropriate content, then you can even enable SafeSearch at the “strict filtering” level in the preferences page.



Introducing Google Instant (Youtube Video)

http://google.com/instant : Meet the new way to search. Google Instant shows results as you type.

some useful commands

some useful commands

Here are some commands which will come handy in use

Accessibility Controls------------------------- access.cpl

Accessibility Wizard--------------------------- accwiz

Add Hardware Wizard------------------------ hdwwiz.cpl

Add/Remove Programs --------------------- appwiz.cpl

Administrative Tools------------------------- control admintools

Automatic Updates--------------------------- wuaucpl.cpl

Bluetooth Transfer Wizard------------------ fsquirt

Calculator------------------------------------ calc

Certificate Manager------------------------- certmgr.msc

Character Map------------------------------- charmap

Check Disk Utility--------------------------- chkdsk

Clipboard Viewer--------------------------- clipbrd

Command Prompt-------------------------- cmd

Component Services----------------------- dcomcnfg

Computer Management-------------------- compmgmt.msc

Control Panel------------------------------- control

Date and Time Properties----------------- timedate.cpl

DDE Shares-------------------------------- ddeshare

Device Manager--------------------------- devmgmt.msc

Direct X Troubleshooter------------------ dxdiag

Disk Cleanup Utility----------------------- cleanmgr

Disk Defragment-------------------------- dfrg.msc

Disk Management------------------------- diskmgmt.msc

Disk Partition Manager------------------- diskpart

Display Properties------------------------ control desktop (or) desk.cpl

Files and Settings Transfer Tool-------- migwiz

File Signature Verification Tool--------- sigverif

Folders Properties----------------------- control folders

Fonts------------------------------------- control fonts

Group Policy Editor (XP Prof)---------- gpedit.msc

Help and Support----------------------- helpctr

Indexing Service----------------------- ciadv.msc

Registry Editor------------------------- regedit

Security Center----------------------- wscui.cpl

Services------------------------------- services.msc

Shared Folders----------------------- fsmgmt.msc

System Configuration Utility-------- msconfig

System File Checker Utility (Scan Immediately)----sfc /scannow

System File Checker Utility (Scan Once At Next Boot)-----sfc /scanonce

System File Checker Utility (Scan On Every Boot)---------sfc /scanboot

System File Checker Utility (Return to Default Setting)-------sfc /revert

System File Checker Utility (Set Cache Size to size x)-------sfc /cachesize=x

Windows Version (to show which version of windows)-----winver

Wordpad--------------------------------------write

Falling Hair - Home Remedy

Falling Hair - Home Remedy

Does your hair fall a lot? Don't worry, you're not alone. Millions of people from all around the world suffer from dry, brittle and weak hair. Some of the possible reasons for falling hair are:

Tension
Too much work
Illness
Poor diet
Over-exposure to the sun
Perming
Amateur bleaching
Too frequent and inexpert use of tints, rinses or other colourants


Here is what you can do to prevent hair fall

Shampoo regularly. Remember, a CLEAN scalp is a HEALTHY SCALP.
Brahmi amla oil also promotes hair growth.
A high protein diet with plenty of fruits, green vegetables and dairy products is a must.
Drink 10-12 glass of water everyday.
Use a very mild shampoo and condition your hair at least twice a week. When you do, make sure you rinse out the conditioner thoroughly, otherwise residue build-up will cause your hair to look limp and dull.
Know your vitamins! IRON is important for healthy hair and brittle, limp hair indicates an iron deficiency. Spinach has a good iron content, so gulp it down!
ZINC helps prevent hair loss and greying. Eat adequate zinc rich foods. Overweight people tend to have zinc deficiency, which is inversely related to the body mass index. Thus if you are overweight and if your hair falls too much, you may want to increase your intake of zinc containing foods. Recipes containing stone ground, wholegrain flour are rich in zinc.
A shortfall in VITAMIN B may cause dandruff, falling hair, loss of colour and could encourage grey hair. So B group Vitamins are essential for gloss, colour and thickness.
VITAMIN C ensures the health of capillaries supplying blood to hair follicles. Make sure your diet includes plenty of fresh fruits and veggies.
VITAMIN E encourages hair growth. Switch from refined flours to wholemeal and wheatgerm, eggs, vegetable oil.
COPPER stops hair from falling. Studies show that the copper content in the blood serum of people with falling hair is less than normal. Different types of alopecia (falling hair) are seen to have a deficiency of this important trace element. Include small quantities of nuts, especially cashews and peanuts, seeds, whole milk and beans in your diet as these contain minute but important amounts of copper.


Homemade remedies for preventing hair fall:

Apply almond oil on scalp and massage.
Grind fenugreek seeds in water and apply on your scalp. Wash off after 40 minutes. Do this every morning for a month ¡V if it suits you! Remember, different treatments suit different types of hair.
Massage warm castor oil + almond oil into your scalp gently. Wrap a hot towel around your scalp so it gets absorbed into the hair. Do this twice a week for healthy, shiny hair.
Add 2-3 drops of honey to a glass of water and use this as the last rinse after shampooing.


Quick Hair Care Conditioner

Mix 1 egg, 2 tbs castor oil, 1 tsp vinegar and 1 tsp glycerine. Beat until frothy and massage lightly into your scalp. Wrap your head in a hot towel, steam, then wash off. This conditioner makes hair thicker, shiny, soft and manageable.


Honey Conditioner

Beat 1-2 eggs (depending on the length of the hair), 1 tsp honey and 2 tsp olive oil. Massage gently into the scalp. Steam, and shampoo after an hour.


Alcohol Conditioner

Beat 1-2 eggs with 2 tsp brandy. Massage into your scalp. Leave for 10-15 mins. Rinse well. The egg nourishes your hair and brandy stimulates hair growth.

Your hair is a vital beauty asset, requiring constant loving care. And with a little nurturing, lush, glossy hair will be yours

How to increase Blood /Himoglobin in body

How to increase Blood /Himoglobin in body

food which contains iron should be taken to increase hemoglobin
most important of fruits i know is pomegranate


Iron-Rich Foods

Foods that are a good source of iron include:

    * liver
    * lean red meats, including beef, pork, lamb
    * seafood, such as oysters, clams, tuna, salmon, and shrimp, etc.
    * beans, including kidney, lima, navy, black, pinto, soy beans, and lentils
    * iron fortified whole grains, including cereals, breads, rice, and pasta
    * greens, including collard greens, kale, mustard greens, spinach, and turnip greens
    * tofu
    * vegetables, including broccoli, swiss chard, asparagus, parsley, watercress, brussel sprouts
    * chicken and turkey
    * blackstrap molasses
    * nuts
    * egg yolks
    * dried fruits, such as raisins, prunes, dates and apricots

Consume iron rich foods such as clams, oysters, lean beef and beans. All of these foods have differing degrees of iron that help to boost the bloods iron levels.