History of the Computer: Real-time Systems, Part 1 of 2 by Tony Stockill
We have mentioned before, in the history of the computer series, that digital computers have been developed as general purpose machines. You buy one of our systems, and you can use it to run a bank, operate the lottery, build a car, or control freight shipments for an airline. ... One of the most critical applications, using the latest developments in a combination of hardware and software, is the Real-time system. ... Of course there are differences in hardware, mainly in peripherals, depending on the application, but generally a modern computer is still a multi-purpose beast.

Low Cost Point of Sale Systems and Software by Edward Duval
Now the last thing I want is for this be a shameless promotion of the software we develop. But my position gives me a unique insight in the business models followed by different software companies. We produce a no cost point of sale software package and can testify that the free and low cost... Saving costs and increasing profits is vital and many software companies position themselves to provide Point of Sale Software that forces you into expensive service agreements and fees. ... You not only have software to consider by the wide range of hardware available.

Axapta: Global Economy ERP implementation notes by Andrew Karasev
The evolution of ERP/MRP comes together with the change in business processes and new businesses models emerging. If we look at the companies, going public in .com era and now, we could recognize very unusual business models, such as Google, which is neither really paid services, nor advertising... The real challenge was in surviving through computer hardware, operating systems and database platform battles of 1990th. ... This product architecture is Great Plains Dexterity, which had hardware, OS and DB independence in its design – C programming language was a hope and Dexterity is a...

Windows Error Reporting by Meryl K. Evans
Bet you get the following message from time to time: "The system has recovered from a serious error" message from time to time with two buttons: "Send Error Report" and "Don't Send" regarding sending the report to Microsoft. The error message appears when an application runs into a problem it... In the case of hardware or a driver (software managing hardware) attempts something that could cause problems, XP puts up that annoying BSOD (blue screen of death) and the computer is either restarted or you have to turn it off and back on.

Software Scams --To Cheap To Be True? by Vickie Scanlon
I'm sure that you have received an email stating that you can purchase name brand software cheap. As a matter of fact, I received such an email the other day. They call this type of software OEM software. But is it legal? And most important, how can you spot a software scam? ... If the OEM software is legitimate, don't expect user manuals, original retail packaging of the software, or the technical support that is usually provided by the hardware provider. ... In most cases, OEM software is legal when it is distributed with specified accompanying hardware.

Introduction to Dedicated Servers by Emmanuel Eichler
A dedicated server is a single computer on a web-hosting network that is leased or rented, and dedicated to just one customer. A service provider monitors the computer’s hardware, network connectivity, and routing equipment, while the customer generally controls and maintains the server software. ... The customer in this case, updates software on their own, applies necessary patches, performs kernel compiles and operating system restores, installs software, and monitors security. ... When renting or leasing a managed server, the service provider or host carries out the responsibility of...

History of the Computer - Machine Code Programs Part 1 of 3 by Tony Stockill
In previous articles in the History of the Computer series we looked at adding, counting, and memory etc. But what are we going to do with these components? How do they all tie together? What is the connection between Windows or a form you fill out for the Government, and the bits of a computer... A different view again is seen by the design engineer making sure the computer follows its instructions. ... A programmer working in Java sees a different aspect of software from an analyst working on the operating system.

When Your Computer Fails: A Disaster Recovery Strategy for the Home-based Business by Pamela Bruce
If you are self-employed and work from home, you wear several hats, so to speak: you may be the marketing manager, accountant, receptionist or PR person. You are also your own technical support department and therefore responsible for safeguarding your data. ... This includes the customer support numbers of hardware and software manufacturers, serial numbers, warranty documents and configuration information. ... These hard drives, which connect to your computer via the USB 2.0 or FireWire port (check which port your computer has) have fallen dramatically in price.

Almost Famous by Chin Wong
The movie Almost Famous tells the story of William, a 15-year-old writer in the 1970s who bags an assignment from Rolling Stone Magazine to do an article about a rock band on the verge of stardom. The unlikely premise sets the stage for a road trip that’s all about being true to yourself and... Instead of gaining a few more desktop licenses, Microsoft may end up losing the entire company to open source software. ... “Ubuntu’s [software] catalog surpasses those of all other Linux distributions we’ve tested, and its software management tools outclass not only Linux rivals’ but also Microsoft...

Data Recovery Tips by Paul MacIver
If you have ever faced the loss of data, you will know what it’s like to have anxiety over severe trouble with your server, hard disk or RAID health. This is however, a time for some caution in terms of time and money. Data recovery can sometimes be worked out yourself, with help of software and... Shop for recovery software: Do an online search for data recovery software and see what software is ranked best, and what suits you. ... This way the computer will boot from the software, and then you will be able to see your data files and copy them to safe drives.