Software Support Services

In today’s computing scenario you can’t even think of carrying out a task without using software. They play a useful role in our everyday activities, such as Microsoft Word for creating and editing word documents, play your favorite games using the gaming software, payroll software for maintaining salary records and much more.
Computer software is a collection of computer programs to carry out some task for which it is developed. For instance, Windows operating system is computer software, which provides an interface between the computer user and the computer hardware. It offers a platform for the other software to run properly. You may have used some form of chat process which is again computer software which allows different users to communicate with each other by sending instant messages, videos and audios.
In layman’s language software is nothing but a kind of utility which makes a task easier and quicker. Software gives direction to the computer to perform a task.
Types of Software
Software can be categorized in to three categories on the basis of their role like:
1. System software
2. Application software
3. Programming software

System software is required to run the computer hardware and other system. It consists of a set of computer programs, which are needed to make the system operational. Operating systems, device drivers, servers are all included in this category of software.
The software required to carry out a specific task are known as application software. Databases, payroll software, medical software are some of the application software.
Programming software are helpful in creating other software using computer programming languages and includes interpreter, compilers and text editors.
Computer Software plays a major role in several areas like: business, education, medicine, space, computing, and many others.Online education and training tutorials for Microsoft Office and other desktop applications for end users and developers.

Alternative Browsers

We all have used Internet to search images, videos and information on several topics. But do you know how you are able to see the text, images and other multimedia content form Internet? We get this information with the use of web browsers.
A web browser is a software application used for retrieving, traversing, and presenting the information resources from the World Wide Web to the user. Every information resource on Internet is assigned a unique Uniform resource locator (URL), which in turn is used to identify the resource from the wide variety of available resources.
The web browser contains an area known as address bar for entering the URL of any website for finding the content. So, when a user enters a URL into the address bar of the web browser, then the web browser navigates to the specified web page and presents it to the user. The type of content presented by the web browser is based on the type of web browser used.
There are basically two types of web browsers:
1. Graphical user interface (GUI) based browser
2. Text-based browser
The GUI based browser from the name itself denotes the browser, which is used to display the text without formatting, whereas the graphical user interface based browsers displays all the multimedia contents in the output result along with the text.
Let us highlight the names of some of the most commonly used web browsers like:
1. Internet Explorer
2. Safari
3. Opera
4. Mozilla Firefox
5. Google Chrome
6. Netscape Navigator
7. Netscape Communicator
Earlier used web browsers offer less number of functionalities and features. But the latest web browsers carry more advanced features and functionalities as compared to the previous versions of web browsers like enhanced password management feature, store web history, bookmark your favorite sites.

PC Firewall Guide

Firewall can be a part of computer system or network, which is intended for blocking unauthorized access. It can be a device or a collection of devices for permitting, denying, encrypting, decrypting all computer traffic for maintaining security.
Firewall can be implemented through many techniques, packet filter, application-level gateway, circuit-level gateway and proxy server. It can be implemented in hardware or software or can be a combination of both. You can utilize personal firewall if you want to maintain security of your important data.
An application, which is able to check incoming and outgoing traffic of a computer system on the basis of security policies, can be named as personal firewall. Some of its features are as follows:
Personal firewall is able to hide the computer from port scans because it will not respond to unwanted network traffic. It alerts the user about outgoing connection attempts. This application can monitor those applications which are listening for incoming connections.
Personal firewall offers the information about those applications which makes connection attempt. It is able to monitor and regulate all incoming and outgoing Internet users. Along with many advantages, it has some disadvantages like it consumes system resources. This firewall can interact with the operating system at kernel mode level which can introduce security issues and software bugs.

BitDefender provides user a firewall that will protect your computer, and you need to set BitDefender firewall on Windows 7.

Anti Virus and Spyware Protection Software

Internet has been a most widely used mode of communication worldwide. leading organizations make use of e-mail for carrying out communication with the customers. It has been one of the cheapest medium of communication. But this cost-effective and most suitable medium of communication is turned into a more dangerous medium for infecting the computer systems with the latest virus, worms, and other infections. It is used for spreading of the malicious codes like the Trojans for stealing the privacy of the individual or the business, worms and viruses for making the PC paralyzed and slow performing. As a result of this the need of protecting the PC from the most dangerous malicious codes has become a point of concern. This gave rise to the antivirus software.
The software market is flooded with a variety of antivirus software. Some companies are offering their free version of the antivirus software for allowing the customers to use the software for some fixed period of time and then shift to its paid version for the more enhanced protection.
Also, privacy has been a prior concern for the computer users, especially when their computer systems are connected to Internet. TWide spread spams and unsolicited e-mails violate the privacy of computer users. There are various unsolicited e-mails, which redirects the users to the websites that contains malicious code and certain other harmful threats. Some antivirus software has a built-in e-mail scanner, which examines the e-mail messages before the user attempts to open the message for the presence of any kind of threat and categories the message to be spam or harmful based on the findings.CounterSpy offers the best spyware protection available today.
It is strongly recommended that you should install antivirus software on your PC to protect it from threats.

Windows 7 Migrate

Windows 7 OS is scheduled to be available to the public market in just over a month. There are many doubts and apprehensions about the capability of this OS as its earlier version Vista is a failure. It seems Microsoft has given enough weight this time to what the Windows users really wanted – a simpler and friendly OS. Windows 7 has some novel features while improving the older ones. Moreover, some flop features in Vista are removed from Windows 7 to improve the performance.
There are some advantages along with disadvantages of opting to Windows 7. The following information may help you in deciding whether you really need to upgrade to Windows 7-
Switch to Windows 7
1. Application compatibility can be achieved by "windows XP mode" by running virtual windows XP machine.
2. Windows live essentials: It is a free software that make possible to do more things like instant messaging, e-mail, photo editing, and blogging.
3. Improved search operation performance, as results will come instantly as categorized in groups. Moreover, key words are highlighted enabling easy file identification.
4. Supports 64-bit PC that can handle huge amounts of information than a 32-bit system.
5. Power management can be efficiently done by new features such as, running less number of background activities, automatic screen dimming, unused ports are not run and life indicator to battery.
6. Multi touch technology allows to use more than one finger while operating the touch screen either at application level or system level.
7. Protect files with features such as "Use Bit Locker" and "Bit Locker To Go"
8. Continuous access to corporate resources with a broadband connection. No need to get a VPN (Virtual Private Network) connection.
9. The feature "Domain Join" allows to connect multiple PCs, with or without a server.
10. Supports 35 languages. So, you can easily switch among them by logging off, again logging on. Moreover, it supports handwriting recognition.
11. System startup, shutdown and resumes are faster.
12. Appearance of the desktop has improved by including fresh wallpapers, retooled task bar and improved gadgets
13. Easy data sharing between two or more PCs by using "Share with" option.
14. Windows 7 can read larger than 131 GB hard drive (unfragmented).
15. Upgrading Vista to Windows7 will get 223% better performance while running IE8.
16. In Action Center you can find information you need regarding system maintenance, trouble shooting, security issues etc.

Your Computer Operating System

Computer operating systems have evolved over the years to become one of the most integral software components of a computer system. Without the operating system, being able to use a personal computer would be much more difficult. The operating system allows the user to easily and more successfully navigate the computer system without having to know complicated commands and requests.
In the early days of computers, operating systems weren’t part of the overall system configuration. They came about after the super computers had already been invented. Before operating systems, information was input into the computer with punch cards. The system wasn’t very efficient and required knowledge of punch card machines just to get the desired information from the computer.
Today, there are many computer operating systems Like windows Xp,Windows 7 both already developed as well as currently in development. Most of these operating systems are designed solely with the user in mind. They allow computer operators to simply load programs into their computers and then navigate their system with the point of a mouse and the click of a button.
All computer operating systems have certain processes that they perform “behind the scenes” so that the user doesn’t really know that they are happening. This is called multi-tasking and makes it much easier to use a computer without having to manage resources manually. The operating system does it for you!
Your computer operating system will manage your random access memory, your hard disk memory, the scheduling of tasks, and so much more! It will provide a level of security to your computer so that you don’t have to worry about an outside party gaining access to any of the information on your computer. It will also navigate the various programs that are on your computer when you want to open those programs. Just tell the operating system, and it’ll take care of the rest!
The most popular operating systems today are Microsoft Windows and Apple’s Mac OS X. The technology for most computer operating systems came from these two computer giants and other operating systems have evolved from those. Linux and GNU are two other operating systems that are beginning to take hold in popularity, although they are mainly geared toward the mainframe and network system market.