Computers

SQL (structured query language) is a generalized database computer language that allows the creation and manipulation of data within a relational database. It was developed by IBM in the early...

In the 1980s and 1990s, it was generally safe to assume a processor with a higher clock rate would be faster than a processor with a lower one. For this reason, recent computers can often be...

A BIN file is one associated with backups of a DVD, as a way to ensure that you still have access to the DVD even if you scratch or lose the original. Some programs are particular about what file...

Viruses can slow down your computer and send sensitive information to others. Kaspersky and BitDefender both offer real-time protection with multiple levels of defense to protect against malware.

If when trying to install software on your Microsoft Windows XP-based computer you get the error message "1607:Unable to install InstallShield Scripting Runtime," then the InstallShield is not...

Files with the PGM extension are also called portable gray-map files. They are 8-bit image files, grayscale, and classified as graphic files.

If you've downloaded a movie from the Internet, a great way to save hard-drive space is to burn it onto a DVD. If you burn it correctly, your film will be playable on any commercial DVD player...

There are many tools available to users in Microsoft Excel. All versions of Excel prior to Excel 2007 had these tools available through the Menu Bar. In Excel 2007, the Ribbon Bar replaces the...

You press the "On" button on your desktop computer and nothing happens. Before you panic, you can run some simple diagnostics to determine what may be wrong and perhaps repair the problem...

When you buy a new computer with the Windows Vista Operating System, you may find yourself suddenly lost on the Internet with all of your bookmarks and familiar places still stuck in your old...

Malfunctioning device drivers cause a computer to act unreliably. Symptoms include slow or suddenly stopped performance, not being able to connect to the Internet, new device conflicts and...

Internet access can be distributed to the computers, printers, video players and other digital devices in a home or office by means of either cables or wireless signals. Both approaches employ a...

Upgrading an aging computer can be a difficult task. The speed at which the computer industry moves often leaves PCs that seem relatively young, difficult to upgrade and seemingly useless by...

When shopping for low-cost computers, you may note the phrase "shared DDR" or more commonly, "shared memory" in some of the product descriptions. Shared memory is a common way of reducing the cost...

If you love Microsoft Word but wish you could save your documents to the Internet, you are in luck. Microsoft provides a service capable of doing just that. While the service cannot yet be used to...

A number of portable camcorders now record video to a built-in hard drive. The video file format these camcorders use is called MOD and isn't commonly in use on Windows-based computers. Converting...

No one owns a copy of Windows; rather, you purchase a license allowing you to use Windows under certain conditions. What these conditions are depends on the type of license you have. Most home...

A bootable floppy disk (diskette), allows you start up your computer in case the operating system cannot be booted from your hard drive because of corrupted system files or a physical hard-drive...

A host of different spyware programs can potentially infiltrate your computer system when you navigate to certain websites. Several of those spyware programs make changes to your system, such as...

Adobe is a leader in graphics software, and Adobe Acrobat 8 may be their most widely used product. The combined power of Adobe Reader, free for download, and Adobe Acrobat, a highly capable PDF...

Adobe Photoshop is one of the most popular graphics programs in the world, in part because it allows the graphics artist to perform even the most complex job. But it is also useful because of its...

VBR is a proprietary compression format for videos that is used by Real Player. Real Player is the only program that uses VBR format, which means you will need to convert your videos to a...

"Adware" is a term used to describe malicious software that can be downloaded from the Internet to your computer without your knowledge. These programs can cause pop-up advertisements to appear on...

Universal Modeling Language (UML) is a diagramming method used among businesses to describe what is happening in and around software applications, in and around business practices and other types...

If you're spending hundreds of dollars to build a personal computer with the sole intention of browsing the Internet, you want to make sure you're getting the most bang for your buck. Internet...

Windows Media Player has the capability to be a one-stop cornucopia of all that is provided in selective entertainment. Its faults, however, range from delay in buffered playback to sound issues....

You either love computers or you hate them. When software stops performing suddenly, it can leave you angry and frustrated. It can be difficult to know what caused the issue, further complicating...

One of the most useful features of a home network is the capability to share storage space between multiple computers. You can choose from several storage solutions for your home network, the best...

We are living in an age in which making amateur films is easier than ever. New computers, whether you have a Mac or a Windows-based PC, ship with software designed for video editing preinstalled....

Self-Monitoring Analysis and Reporting Technology (SMART) is a technology used by all modern hard drives, which allows a drive to monitor its own errors and predict when those errors might become...

The MDM extension file can be opened three ways, but the most prevalent use of these map files is by the Mario Brothers computer games.

Computer forensics involves extracting and analyzing digital data. The evidence collected is frequently used in court cases, both criminal and domestic, as well as within the operations of a...

No one ever wants to lose all his important data, but in some instances the best way to fix a problem is to restore your computer to factory settings. From virus programs that you just cannot seem...

If you want to purchase a new computer but personal economics has put a clamp on your wallet, a refurbished computer may be just the answer. Previously owned but returned to the manufacturer,...

Microsoft Windows can sometimes generate problems that require advanced troubleshooting skills to fix. These types of problems are not exceedingly common, but they happen often enough that having...

If you're looking to stand out from the crowd, consider making your own custom shirts at home. With a computer, a graphic design program, iron-on transfers, a printer, a supply of T-shirts, a bit...

Using smart playlists in the iTunes application is an easy way to quickly organize your music in a variety of ways. For example, you can organize music by bands, album, tempo or genre, just to...

Outdoor cameras are typically used for security purposes. If you own your own small business or just want some extra security around the house, you may decide to purchase some outdoor cameras for...

The importance of quality assurance in software testing cannot be emphasized enough. This required step in the software development process requires knowledge, planning and execution to develop...

Not being able to access your data when you need to can be frustrating. It is true that locking mobile storage devices, such as USB drives, with Imation Lock is an excellent way to protect your...

The Linksys WMB54G Music Bridge gives you the capability to stream music from your computer to your home stereo system, allowing you to listen to your music collection with your high-end audio...

Working with digital video used to be restricted to the realm of professionals or high-end users who could afford expensive hardware and software. Advances in technology have made it affordable...

Since computers can only hold a limited amount of data at one time, software developers create ways to shrink or compress the amount of space data takes up on the hard drive. One type of file...

The electronic age has pushed many users to create documents on their computers instead of on paper. Many books and guides are no longer printed but are produced in a portable document format or...

StopSign is a security tool from eAcceleration. Like other antivirus programs, it protects a computer from malicious viruses, spyware, Trojans and more. The free version of the program only...

Losing track of time and neglecting tasks as a result is easy to do when working at the computer for a long time. Some people fix the problem by setting an alarm clock, which help them to stay on...

When beginning a project in Maya graphics software, you often need to use reference images, which provide proper proportions and allow the 3D artist to reach an equilibrium with the vision of the...

Bar codes are one of the greatest retail inventions. They allow sellers to encode data onto a strip of black lines that can easily be read by a scanner. Imagine how much time and effort would be...

A fully functioning hard drive is critical for saving and retrieving important information. Some common hard drive problems can be solved with maintenance, while others will require the...

Whether you want to increase the privacy and security of your network or want to change the URL of your homepage, it is possible to customize your web browser's Internet options. All browsers have...