Advantage of osi layer

The OSI reference modelis the primary model for network communications. The early development of LANs, MANs, and WANs was confused in many ways. The early 1980s saw great increases in the number and sizes of networks. As companies realized that they could save money and gain productivity by using networking technology, they added networks and expanded existing networks as rapidly as new network technologies and products were introduced.

In 1984, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) developed the OSI Reference Model to describe how information is transferred from one networking component to another, from the point when a user enters information using a keyboard and mouse to when that information is converted to electrical or light signals transferred along a piece of wire (or radio waves transferred through the air).

ISO developed the seven-layer model to help vendors and network administrators gain a better understanding of how data is handled and transported between networking devices, as well as to provide a guideline for the implementation of new networking standards and technologies. To assist in this process, the OSI Reference Model separates the network communication process into seven simple layers.

Dividing the network into these seven layers provides these advantages:

Reduces complexity:

It breaks network communication into smaller, simpler parts. It divides the network communication process into smaller and simpler components, thus aiding component development, design, and troubleshooting.

Standardizes interfaces:

It standardizes network components to allow multiple vendor development and support.

Facilitates modular engineering:

It allows different types of network hardware and software to communicate with each other.

Interoperability between Vendors

It allows multiple-vendor development through standardization of network components. Defines the process for connecting two layers together, promoting interoperability between vendors It Allows vendors to compartmentalize their design efforts to fit a modular design, which eases implementations and simplifies troubleshooting

Ensures interoperable technology:

It prevents changes in one layer from affecting the other layers, allowing for quicker development.

Accelerates evolution:

It provides for effective updates and improvements to individual components without affecting other components or having to rewrite the entire protocol.

Simplifies teaching and learning:

It breaks network communication into smaller components to make learning easier. Provides a teaching tool to help network administrators understand the communication process used between networking components

osi model

The OSI Reference Model

• The OSI reference model consists of seven layers: physical, data-link, network, transport, session, presentation, and application.
• The OSI model layers usually do not correspond exactly to the protocol stack running on an actual system.
• The data-link layer protocols often include physical layer specifications.
• The network and transport layer protocols work together to provide a cumulative end-to-end communication service.
• The functions of the session, presentation, and application layers are often combined into a single application layer protocol.
  
  
  Each OSI layer contains a set of functions performed by programs to enable data to travel from a source to a destination on a network.
  In this article I will provide brief descriptions of each layer in the OSI reference model.

  Application Layer

  The application layer is the OSI layer that is closest to the user. This layer provides network services to the user's applications. It differs from the other layers in that it does not provide services to any other OSI layer, but only to applications outside the OSI reference model. Applications layer provide a platform to access the data of remote computer.
  The application layer protocols that you should know are as follows:
  • SNMP (Simple Network Management Protocol)— Communicates status and allows control of networked devices.
  • TFTP (Trivial File Transfer Protocol)— Simple, lightweight file transfer.
  • DNS (Domain Naming System)— Translates a website name (easy for people) to an IP address (easy for computers).
  • DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol)— Assigns IP, mask, and DNS server (plus a bunch of other stuff) to hosts.
  • Telnet— Provides a remote terminal connection to manage devices to which you are not close enough to use a console cable.
  • HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol)— Browses web pages.
  • FTP (File Transfer Protocol)— Reliably sends/retrieves all file types.
  • SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol)— Sends email.
  • POP3 (Post Office Protocol v.3)— Retrieves email.
  • NTP (Network Time Protocol)— Synchronizes networked device clocks.

  presentation layer

  The presentation layer is responsible for formatting data so that application-layer protocols (and then the users) can recognize and work with it. Presentation layer format the file extensions—such as .doc, .jpg, .txt, .avi, and so on. you realize that each of these file types is formatted for use by a particular type of application. The presentation layer taking the application layer data and marking it with the formatting codes so that it can be viewed reliably when accessed later. If necessary, the presentation layer might be able to translate between multiple data formats by using a common format.

  The Session Layer

  The session layer establishes, manages, and terminates sessions between two communicating hosts. It provides its services to the presentation layer. The session layer also synchronizes dialogue between the presentation layers of the two hosts and manages their data exchange. For example, web servers have many users, so many communication processes are open at a given time. Therefore, keeping track of which user communicates on which path is important.

  Transport Layer

  
  
  The transport layer is possibly the most important layer for exam study purposes. A lot is going on here, and it is heavily tested.
  The transport layer's main jobs
  • It sets up and maintains a session connection between two devices.
  • It can provide for the reliable or unreliable delivery of data across this connection.
  • It multiplexes connections, allowing multiple applications to simultaneously send and receive data. When
  • Implementing a reliable connection, sequence numbers and acknowledgments (ACKs) are used.
  • Flow control (through the use of windowing or acknowledgements)
  • Reliable connections (through the use of sequence numbers and Acknowledgement )
  Transport layer use two protocols for sending data TCP and UDP.
  TCP
  TCP is connection oriented protocols. Connection-oriented transmission is said to be reliable. Thinks TCP as registry AD facility available in Indian post office. For this level of service, you have to buy extra ticket and put a bunch of extra labels on it to track where it is going and where it has been. But, you get a receipt when it is delivered, you are guaranteed delivery, and you can keep track of whether your shipment got to its destination. All of this costs you more—but it is reliable!
  UDP
  UDP is connection less protocols. Connection-less transmission is said to be unreliable. Now, don't get too wrapped up in the term "unreliable" this doesn't mean that the data isn't going to get there; it only means that it isn't guaranteed to get there. Think of your options when you are sending a postcard, put it in the mailbox, and chances are good that it will get where it's supposed to go—but there is no guarantee, and stuff does go missing once in a while. On the other hand, it's cheap.
  The transport layer can use two basic flow control methods:
  • Ready/not ready signals
  • Windowing
  There are two problems with the use of ready/not ready signals to implement flow control. 
  First, the destination may respond to the source with a not ready signal when its buffer fills up. While this message is on its way to the source, the source is still sending information to the destination, which the destination will probably have to drop because its buffer space is full.
  The second problem with the use of these signals is that once the destination is ready to receive more information, it must first send a ready signal to the source, which must receive it before more information can be sent.In many implementations, the window size is dynamically negotiated up front and can be renegotiated during the lifetime of the connection.
  In windowing a window size is defined between two host engaged in data transmission. And sender host will wait for an acknowledgement signal after sending the segments equal to window size. If any packet lost in way receiver will respond with acknowledgement for lost packet. And sender will send lost packet again.

  Reliability

  When reliability is necessary, it should cover these four items:
  • recognizing lost packets and having them re-sent
  • recognizing packets that arrive out of order and reordering them
  • detecting duplicate packets and dropping the extra ones
  • Avoiding congestion

  Connection Multiplexing/Application Mapping

  Transport layer assigns a unique set of numbers for each connection. These numbers are called port or socket numbers. TCP, and UDP, provide a multiplexing function for a device: This allows multiple applications to simultaneously send and receive data.
  Imagine a server that performs a number of functions—for example email, web pages, FTP, and DNS. The server has a single IP address, but can perform all these different functions for all the hosts that want to connect to it. The transport layer (layer 4) uses port numbers to distinguish between different types of traffic that might be headed for the same IP address.
  Port numbers are divided into ranges by the IANA. Following are the current port ranges:

  Port number	descriptions
  0–1023	Well-Known—For common TCP/IP functions and applications
  1024–49151	Registered—For applications built by companies
  49152–65535	Dynamic/Private—For dynamic connections or unregistered applications

  Common TCP and UDP Port Numbers

  TCP		UDP
  FTP	20, 21	DNS	53
  Telnet	23	DHCP	67,68
  SMTP	25	TFTP	69
  DNS	53	NTP	123
  HTTP	80	SNMP	161
  POP	110
  NNTP	119
  HTTPS	443

  Network Layer

  The network layer provides a logical topology and layer-3 addresses. Routers function at the network layer. This layer is responsible for three main functions:
  • Defines logical addresses used at layer-3
  • Finds paths, based on the network numbers of logical addresses, to reach destination devices
  • Connects different data link types together, such as Ethernet, FDDI, Serial, and Token Ring
  IP packet
  Where the transport layer uses segments to transfer information between machines, the Internet layer uses datagram's. Datagram is just another word for packet.
  The IP protocol is mainly responsible for these functions:
  • Connectionless data delivery: best effort delivery with no data recovery capabilities
  • Hierarchical logical addressing to provide for highly scalable internetworks
  IP addresses are broken into two components:
  • Network component Defines on what segment, in the network, a device is located
  • Host component defines the specific device on a particular network segment
  Two types of packets are used at the Network layer: data and route updates.
  Data packets
  Used to transport user data through the internetwork. Protocols used to support data traffic are called routed protocols; examples of routed protocols are IP and IPv6.
  Route update packets
  Used to update neighboring routers about the networks connected to all routers within the internetwork. Protocols that send route update packets are called routing protocols; examples of some common ones are RIP, RIPv2, EIGRP, and OSPF. Route update packets are used to help build and maintain routing tables on each router.

  IP Classes

   Class A addresses range from 1-126: 00000001-01111111.
  • Class B addresses range from 128-191: 10000000-10111111.
  • Class C addresses range from 192-223: 11000000-11011111.
  • Class D addresses range from 224-239: 11100000-11101111.
  • Class E addresses range from 240-254:
  1. 0 is reserved and represents all IP addresses;
  2. 127 is a reserved address and is used for testing, like a loop back on an interface:
  3. 255 is a reserved address and is used for broadcasting purposes.
  Public addresses are Class A, B, and C addresses that can be used to access devices in other public networks, such as the Internet. Public IP address assign authority The Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) is ultimately responsible for handing out and managing public addresses. Normally you get public addresses directly from your ISP, which, in turn, requests them from one of five upstream address registries:
  • American Registry for Internet Numbers (ARIN)
  • Reseaux IP Europeans Network Coordination Center (RIPE NCC)
  • Asia Pacific Registry for Internet Numbers (APNIC)
  • Latin American and Caribbean Internet Address Registry (LACNIC)
  • African Network Information Centre (AfriNIC)

  Private IP and ISP

  
  
  Private ip address can be used to configure private network. You can use private ip to build your network without paying a single rupees. But one biggest problem with private ip is that with private you can not access the internet. This is the point where ISP comes from. ISP purchase a bulk of public ip address and provide them on rent. Whatever you pay to ISP for accessing internet is actually the charge of using public ip address.
  Private ip address:- Not route able in public network
  • Class A: 10.0.0.0-10.255.255.255 (1 Class A network)
  • Class B: 172.16.0.0-172.31.255.255 (16 Class B networks)
  • Class C: 192.168.0.0-192.168.255.255 (256 Class C networks)

  Protocol	Description
  IP	IP of TCP/IP, featuring routable 32-bit addressing.
  IPX	The equivalent of IP in Novell Netware.
  ICMP	Internet Connection Management Protocol. Incorporates Ping and Traceroute, which are layer 3 link-testing utilities.
  OSPF, IGRP, EIGRP, RIP, ISIS	Dynamic routing protocols that learn about remote networks and the best paths to them from other routers running the same protocol.
  ARP, RARP	Address Resolution Protocol (and Reverse ARP). ARP learns what MAC address is associated with a given IP address. Reverse ARP learns an IP address given a MAC address.

  Data link layer

  Main functions of data link layer is
  • Defining the Media Access Control (MAC) or hardware addresses
  • Defining the physical or hardware topology for connections
  • Defining how the network layer protocol is encapsulated in the data link layer frame
  • Providing both connectionless and connection-oriented services
  • Defines hardware (MAC) addresses as well as the communication process that occurs within a media.
  • The first six hexadecimal digits of a MAC address form the OUI.
  • MAC addresses only need to be unique in a broadcast domain,
  • You can have the same MAC address in different broadcast domains (virtual LANs).
  There are two specifications of Ethernet frame Ethernet II and 802
  802.2 use a SAP or SNAP field to differentiate between encapsulatedlayer-3 payloads.
  With a SNAP frame, the SAP fields are set to 0xAA and the type field is used to indicate the layer-3 protocol. One of the issues of the original SAP field in the 802.2 SAP frame is that even though it is eight bits (one byte) in length, only the first six bits are used for identifying upper-layer protocols, which allows up to 64 protocols.
  802.2 SNAP frame support of up to 65,536 protocols
  Ethernet II's Version of Ethernet
  • Ethernet II does not have any sub layers, while IEEE 802.2/3 has two: LLC and MAC.
  • Ethernet II has a type field instead of a length field (used in 802.3). IEEE 802.2 defines the type for IEEE Ethernet

  Physical Layer

  The Physical layer communicates directly with the various types of actual communication media. Different kinds of media represent these bit values in different ways. Some use audio tones, while others utilize state transitions—changes in voltage from high to low and low to high. Specific protocols are needed for each type of media to explain the proper bit patterns to be used, how data is encoded into media signals, and the various qualities of the physical media’s attachment interface.

  Fiber Cabling

  Two types of fiber are used for connections: multimode and single-mode.
  Multimode fiber
  has a fiber thickness of either 850 or 1300 nanometers (nm), and the light signal is typically provided by an LED. When transmitting a signal, the light source is bounced off of the inner cladding (shielding) surrounding the fiber. Multimode fiber can achieve speeds in the hundreds of Mbps range, and many signals can be generated per fiber.
  Single-mode fiber
  has a fiber thickness of 1300 or 1550 nm and uses a laser as the light source. Because lasers provide a higher output than LEDs, single-mode fiber can span over 10 kilometers and have speeds up to 100Gbps. With single-mode fiber, only one signal is used per fiber.
  • Loss factor is used to describe any signal loss in the fiber before the light source gets to the end of the fiber.
  • Connector loss is a loss that occurs when a connector joins two pieces of fibers: a slight signal loss is expected.
  • Attenuation describe the signal loose due to distance
  • Microbending is when a wrinkle in the fiber, typically where the cable is slightly bent, causes a distortion in the light source.
  • Macrobending is when there is leakage of the light source from the fiber, typically from a bend in the fiber cable. to overcome this problem over long distances, optical amplifiers can be used.
  Two main standards are used to describe the transmission of signals across a fiber:
  SONET is defined by the Exchange Carriers Standards Association (ECSA) and American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and is typically used in North America.
  SDH is an international standard used throughout most of the world (with the exception of North America). Both of these standards define the physical layer framing used to transmit light sources, which also includes overhead for the transmission.

  Cisco's three-layer hierarchical model

  
  

  Core Layer

  The core provides a high-speed layer-2 switching infrastructure and typically does not manipulate packet contents.

  Distribution Layer

  The distribution layer provides a boundary between the access and core layers. It contains routers and switches. Routers are used to provide the logical boundary--broadcasts are contained within the access layer and Filtering policies can be implemented to restrict traffic flows.

  Access Layer

  The access layer provides the user's initial access to the network, which is typically via switches or hubs.

  TCP/IP protocol

  The TCP/IP protocol stack has four layers. Note that although some of the layers in the TCP/IP protocol stack have the same names as layers in the OSI reference model, the layers have different functions in each model, as is described in the following list:

  Application layer:

  The application layer handles high-level protocols, including issues of representation, encoding, and dialog control. The TCP/IP model combines all application-related issues into one layer and ensures that this data is properly packaged for the next layer.

  Transport layer:

  The transport layer deals with QoS issues of reliability, flow control, and error correction. One of its protocols, TCP, provides for reliable network communications.

  Internet layer:

  The purpose of the Internet layer is to send source datagrams from any network on the internetwork and have them arrive at the destination, regardless of the path they took to get there.

  Network access layer:

  The name of this layer is broad and somewhat confusing. It is also called the host-to-network layer. It includes the LAN and WAN protocols and all the details in the OSI physical and data link layers.

Window

Microsoft Windows is a series of graphical interface operating systems developed, marketed, and sold  by Microsoft.

Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces (GUIs).

The most recent client version of Windows is Windows 7; the most recent server version is Windows Server 2008 R2; the most recent mobile version is Windows Phone 7.5.

Windows 1.0, the first version, released in 1985.

Windows 1.0 did not allow overlapping windows. Instead all windows were tiled. Only dialog boxes could appear over other windows.

Windows 2.0 was released in October 1987 and featured several improvements to the user interface and memory management.[3] Windows 2.0 allowed application windows to overlap each other and also introduced more sophisticated keyboard shortcuts.

The early versions of Windows were often thought of as simply graphical user interfaces, mostly because they ran on top of MS-DOS and used it for file system services.
Windows 3.0, released in 1990. Windows 3.0 (1990) and Windows 3.1 (1992) improved the design, mostly because of virtual memory and loadable virtual device drivers (VxDs) that allowed them to share arbitrary devices between multitasked DOS windows.

Windows 95 was released in August 1995, featuring a new user interface, support for long file names of up to 255 characters, and the ability to automatically detect and configure installed hardware (plug and play).

Microsoft's next release was Windows 98 in June 1998. Microsoft released a second version of Windows 98 in May 1999, named Windows 98 Second Edition (often shortened to Windows 98 SE).

In February 2000, Windows 2000 (in the NT family) was released, followed by Windows Me in September 2000 (Me standing for Millennium Edition). Windows Me updated the core from Windows 98, but adopted some aspects of Windows 2000 and removed the "boot in DOS mode" option. It also added a new feature called System Restore, allowing the user to set the computer's settings back to an earlier date.

In October 2001, Microsoft released Windows XP, a version built on the Windows NT kernel that also retained the consumer-oriented usability of Windows 95 and its successors.

On January 30, 2007, Microsoft released Windows Vista. It contains a number of new features, from a redesigned shell and user interface to significant technical changes, with a particular focus on security features. It is available in a number of different editions, and has been subject to some criticism.

On October 22, 2009, Microsoft released Windows 7. Unlike its predecessor, Windows Vista, which introduced a large number of new features, Windows 7 was intended to be a more focused, incremental upgrade to the Windows line, with the goal of being compatible with applications and hardware which Windows Vista was not at the time.[18] Windows 7 has multi-touch support, a redesigned Windows shell with a new taskbar, referred to as the Superbar, a home networking system called HomeGroup,[19] and performance improvements.

On 29 February 2012, Microsoft released Windows 8 Consumer Preview, the beta version of Windows 8, build 8250. For the first time since Windows 95, the Start button is no longer available on the taskbar, though the Start screen is still triggered by clicking the bottom-left corner of the screen and by clicking Start in the Charm. Windows president Steven Sinofsky said more than 100,000 changes had been made since the developer version went public. In the first day of its release, Windows 8 Consumer Preview was downloaded over one million times. Like the Developer Preview, the Consumer Preview is set to expire on the 15 January 2013.

WiFi. What is it?

WiFi.  What is it?

Following are a few facts about WiFi:

History

Back in 1991 Wi-Fi was invented by NCR Corporation/AT&T (later on Lucent & Agere Systems) in Nieuwegein, the Netherlands. Initially meant for cashier systems the first wireless products were brought on the market under the name WaveLAN with speeds of 1Mbps/2Mbps. Vic Hayes who is the inventor of Wi-Fi has been named 'father of Wi-Fi' and was with his team involved in designing standards such as IEEE 802.11b, 802.11a and 802.11g. In 2003, Vic retired from Agere Systems. Agere Systems suffered from strong competition in the market even though their products were cutting edge, as many opted for cheaper Wi-Fi solutions. Agere's 802.11abg all-in-one chipset (code named: WARP) never hit the market, Agere Systems decided to quit the Wi-Fi market in late 2004.

Wi-Fi: How it works

The typical Wi-Fi setup contains one or more Access Points (APs) and one or more clients. An AP broadcasts its SSID (Service Set Identifier, Network name) via packets that are called beacons, which are broadcasted every 100ms. The beacons are transmitted at 1Mbps, and are relatively short and therefore are not of influence on performance. Since 1Mbps is the lowest rate of Wi-Fi it assures that the client who receives the beacon can communicate at at least 1Mbps. Based on the settings (i.e. the SSID), the client may decide whether to connect to an AP. Also the firmware running on the client Wi-Fi card is of influence. Say two AP's of the same SSID are in range of the client, the firmware may decide based on signal strength (Signal-to-noise ratio) to which of the two AP's it will connect. The Wi-Fi standard leaves connection criteria and roaming totally open to the client. This is a strength of Wi-Fi, but also means that one wireless adapter may perform substantially better than the other. Since Windows XP there is a feature called zero configuration which makes the user show any network available and let the end user connect to it on the fly. In the future wireless cards will be more and more controlled by the operating system. Microsoft's newest feature called SoftMAC will take over from on-board firmware. Having said this, roaming criteria will be totally controlled by the operating system. Wi-Fi transmits in the air, it has the same properties as a non-switched ethernet network. Even collisions can therefore appear like in non-switched ethernet LAN's.

Wi-Fi vs. cellular

Some argue that Wi-Fi and related consumer technologies hold the key to replacing cellular telephone networks such as GSM. Some obstacles to this happening in the near future are missing roaming and authentication features (see 802.1x, SIM cards and RADIUS), the narrowness of the available spectrum and the limited range of Wi-Fi. It is more likely that WiMax could compete with other cellular phone protocols such as GSM, UMTS or CDMA. However, Wi-Fi is ideal for VoIP applications like in a corporate LAN or SOHO environment. Early adopters were already available in the late '90s, though not until 2005 did the market explode. Companies such as Zyxell, UT Starcomm, Samsung, Hitachi and many more are offering VoIP Wi-Fi phones for reasonable prices.

In 2005 ADSL ISP providers started to offer VoIP services to their customers (eg. the dutch ISP XS4All). Since calling via VoIP is low-cost and more often being free, VoIP enabled ISPs have the potential to open up the VoIP market. GSM phones with integrated Wi-Fi & VoIP capabilities are being introduced into the market and have the potential to replace land line telephone services.

Currently it seems unlikely that Wi-Fi will directly compete against cellular. Wi-Fi-only phones have a very limited range, and so setting up a covering network would be too expensive. Therefore these kinds of phones may be best reserved for local use such as corporate networks. However, devices capable of multiple standards may well compete in the market.

Advantages of Wi-Fi

• Unlike packet radio systems, Wi-Fi uses unlicensed radio spectrum and does not require
  regulatory approval for individual deployers.
• Allows LANs to be deployed without cabling, potentially reducing the costs of network
  deployment and expansion. Spaces where cables cannot be run, such as outdoor areas
  and historical buildings, can host wireless LANs.
• Wi-Fi products are widely available in the market. Different brands of access points and
  client network interfaces are interoperable at a basic level of service.
• Competition amongst vendors has lowered prices considerably since their inception.
• Wi-Fi networks support roaming, in which a mobile client station such as a laptop computer
  can move from one access point to another as the user moves around a building or area.
• Many access points and network interfaces support various degrees of encryption to protect
  traffic from interception.
• Wi-Fi is a global set of standards. Unlike cellular carriers, the same Wi-Fi client works
  in different countries around the world.

Kaspersky+Anti+Virus+2013+v13.0.1.4190+With+License+Key

Click to Download Torrent

Internet Download Manager 6.15 Build 2

Click to Download

Internet Download Manager (IDM) is a powerful tool that increases your download speed by up to 500 percent. This means that you will download your movies, games or music in no time.

Internet Download Manager (IDM) is a tool to increase download speeds by up to 5 times, resume and schedule downloads. Comprehensive error recovery and resume capability will restart broken or interrupted downloads due to lost connections, network problems, computer shutdowns, or unexpected power outages. Simple graphic user interface makes IDM user friendly and easy to use. Internet Download Manager has a smart download logic accelerator that features intelligent dynamic file segmentation and safe multipart downloading technology to accelerate your downloads. Unlike other download managers and accelerators Internet Download Manager segments downloaded files dynamically during download process and reuses available connections without additional connect and login stages to achieve best acceleration performance.

Internet Download Manager supports proxy servers, ftp and http protocols, firewalls, redirects, cookies, authorization, MP3 audio and MPEG video content processing. IDM integrates seamlessly into Microsoft Internet Explorer, Netscape, MSN Explorer, AOL, Opera, Mozilla, Mozilla Firefox, Mozilla Firebird, Avant Browser, MyIE2, and all other popular browsers to automatically handle your downloads. You can also drag and drop files, or use Internet Download Manager from command line. Internet Download Manager can dial your modem at the set time, download the files you want, then hang up or even shut down your computer when it's done.

Other features include multilingual support, zip preview, download categories, scheduler pro, sounds on different events, HTTPS support, queue processor, html help and tutorial, enhanced virus protection on download completion, progressive downloading with quotas (useful for connections that use some kind of fair access policy or FAP like Direcway, Direct PC, Hughes, etc.), built-in download accelerator, and many others.

Version 5.17 adds IDM download panel for web-players that can be used to download flash videos from sites like YouTube, MySpaceTV, and Google Videos. It also features complete Vista support, YouTube grabber, redeveloped scheduler, and MMS protocol support. The new version also adds improved integration for IE and IE based browsers, redesigned and enhanced download engine, the unique advanced integration into all latest browsers, improved toolbar, and a wealth of other improvements and new features. What's New in Internet Download Manager 6.15 Build 2:

- Fixed a critical bug in download engine
- Added download panel for selected links in Chrome browser
- Added support for SeaMonkey 2.15 and 2.16

Kaspersky Anti-Virus 2013 13.0.1.4190 Final

Click to Download

Kaspersky Anti-Virus is powered by a unique integrated technology for unknown virus searching, based on the principals of second-generation heuristic analysis. Because of this, the program is able to protect you from even unknown viruses. By using the integrated Control Center in Kaspersky Anti-Virus Personal, it enables you to create a flexible schedule for the program components to be started and to automatically download and apply updates to your anti-virus databases via the Internet.

Kaspersky Anti-Virus inherits all the strengths of the previous version and adds increased speed and efficiency based on new technologies as well as a more convenient user interface.

One of the important improvements is a powerful heuristic analyzer which when combined with Proactive Defense previously developed by the company's experts is capable of detecting and disabling unknown malicious programs based on their behavior. Thus, Kaspersky Anti-Virus 8.0 provides unique triple protection from all types of malware, known or otherwise, alongside the traditional signature-based method. This kind of multi-tier defense is unparalleled anywhere in the world and of unequalled efficiency.

New Key Features of Kaspersky Anti-Virus 2013 :

General features

· Check new and changed files option
· Advanced damage clean-up (the windows registry, command files, *.lnk files, hosts)
· Proactive defense module with history and roll-back option
· HTTP traffic checking (AV)
· Outlook Express (AS) and TheBat! plugins (AS,AV)
· Anti-Rootkit technology (Anti-Rootkit)
· E-Mail IMAP and NNTP protocol checking support (AV,AS)
· Registry Monitor with preinstalled and updatable database

Anti-Virus new features

· Advanced damage clean-up (against Spyware)
· Check new and changed files option
· HTTP, IMAP and NNTP traffic check
· ODS Scan suspend technology (when user-activity is detected)
· Startup Scan with updateable database
· Differential update (further reduction of the AV database update size)
· Script-Checker with Internet Explorer GUI plug-in
· New scan scope: Scan Critical Areas task
· Scan Startup Objects – full control of the task execution
· TheBat! plugin
· Ban-list of blocked computers by IDS subsystem (with un-block feature)


What's New in Kaspersky Anti-Virus 2013 :

• Improvements :
· Support for Microsoft Windows 8 has been added.
· Postponed launch of Kaspersky Anti-Virus at the startup of the operating system has been implemented in order to reduce the operating system's booting time.
· A module for blocking dangerous websites has been added to Web Anti-Virus, which replaces an already loaded suspicious or phishing website with a page showing a danger warning in case the page's status is defined after it is loaded.
· The application's impact on the operating system's performance has been reduced; the amount of computer resources consumed by the application has also been reduced. Particularly, the application's impact on the booting and closing time of the operating system has been reduced, as well as on the time expended by the system for switching to waiting mode and sleep mode and on the speed of downloading files and loading web pages on the Internet.
· A Metro-style application named Kaspersky Now has been released for Microsoft Windows 8. Kaspersky Now delivers news from the website securelist.com to keep you informed of all crucial events in the domain of data security and warn you of emerging virus outbreaks. If you have Kaspersky Anti-Virus installed on your computer, Kaspersky Now displays the current protection status of your computer and allows running the main components of Kaspersky Anti-Virus, such as Scan, Update, Parental Control, and others.

SATA 2 vs SATA 3

SATA 2 vs. SATA 3

Serial ATA or SATA has become the standard interface between storage devices and computer motherboards. SATA continues to be updated to faster standards such as SATA 3.

SATA 3 offers transfer speeds of up to 6Gbit/s compared to the 3Gbit/s offered by SATA 2.
SATA 3 was introduced to allow for faster communication between storage drives and the host controller on motherboards. This was necessary because SATA 2 was proving to be a bottleneck for faster storage devices like Solid State Drives.
While SSDs benefit from the transfer speed of SATA 3, hard disk drives do not see any improvement in performance. That is because SATA is just the speed at which the storage drive can communicate with the host controller on the motherboard i.e. the transfer speed. It says nothing about how fast a storage drive can access data internally. Because hard disk drives are mechanical in nature they cannot operate fast enough to saturate a SATA 2 interface much less a SATA 3 one. So hard drives don’t benefit from SATA 3 except for burst transfers from the hard drive buffer. These burst transfers are very rare in normal desktop usage where file access tends to be random in nature.

Computer Basic Information

Computer Basic

What is Hardware?

Your PC (Personal Computer) is a system, consisting of many components. Some of those components, like Windows XP, and all your other programs, are software. The stuff you can actually see and touch, and would likely break if you threw it out a fifth-story window, is hardware.

Not everybody has exactly the same hardware. But those of you who have a desktop system, like the example shown in Figure 1, probably have most of the components shown in that same figure. Those of you with notebook computers probably have most of the same components. Only in your case the components are all integrated into a single book-sized portable unit.

Figure 1

The system unit is the actual computer; everything else is called a peripheral device. Your computer's system unit probably has at least one floppy disk drive, and one CD or DVD drive, into which you can insert floppy disks and CDs. There's another disk drive, called the hard disk inside the system unit, as shown in Figure 2. You can't remove that disk, or even see it. But it's there. And everything that's currently "in your computer" is actually stored on that hard disk. (We know this because there is no place else inside the computer where you can store information!).

Figure 2

The floppy drive and CD drive are often referred to as drives with removable media or removable drives for short, because you can remove whatever disk is currently in the drive, and replace it with another. Your computer's hard disk can store as much information as tens of thousands of floppy disks, so don't worry about running out of space on your hard disk any time soon. As a rule, you want to store everything you create or download on your hard disk. Use the floppy disks and CDs to send copies of files through the mail, or to make backup copies of important items.

Random Access Memory (RAM)

There's too much "stuff" on your computer's hard disk to use it all at the same time. During the average session sitting at the computer, you'll probably use only a small amount of all that's available. The stuff you're working with at any given moment is stored in random access memory (often abbreviated RAM, and often called simply "memory"). The advantage using RAM to store whatever you're working on at the moment is that RAM is very fast. Much faster than any disk. For you, "fast" translates to less time waiting and more time being productive.

So if RAM is so fast, why not put everything in it? Why have a hard disk at all? The answer to that lies in the fact that RAM is volatile. As soon as the computer is shut off, whether intentionally or by an accidental power outage, every thing in RAM disappears, just as quickly as a light bulb goes out when the plug is pulled. So you don't want to rely on RAM to hold everything. A disk, on the other hand, holds its information whether the power is on or off.

The Hard Disk

All of the information that's "in your computer", so to speak, is stored on your computer's hard disk. You never see that actual hard disk because it's sealed inside a special housing and needs to stay that way. Unlike RAM, which is volatile, the hard disk can hold information forever -- with or without electricity. Most modern hard disks have tens of billions of bytes of storage space on them. Which, in English, means that you can create, save, and download files for months or years without using up all the storage space it provides.

In the unlikely event that you do manage to fill up your hard disk, Windows will start showing a little message on the screen that reads "You are running low on disk space" well in advance of any problems.  In fact, if that message appears, it won't until you're down to about 800 MB of free space. And 800 MB of empty space is equal to about 600 blank floppy disks. That's still plenty of room!

The Mouse

Obviously you know how to use your mouse, since you must have used it to get here. But let's take a look at the facts and buzzwords anyway. Your mouse probably has at least two buttons on it. The button on the left is called the primary mouse button, the button on the right is called the secondary mouse button or just the right mouse button. I'll just refer to them as the left and right mouse buttons. Many mice have a small wheel between the two mouse buttons, as illustrated in Figure 3.

Figure 3
 

The idea is to rest your hand comfortably on the mouse, with your index finger touching (but not pressing on) the left mouse button. Then, as you move the mouse, the mouse pointer (the little arrow on the screen) moves in the same direction. When moving the mouse, try to keep the buttons aimed toward the monitor -- don't "twist" the mouse as that just makes it all the harder to control the position of the mouse pointer.

If you find yourself reaching too far to get the mouse pointer where you want it to be on the screen, just pick up the mouse, move it to where it's comfortable to hold it, and place it back down on the mousepad or desk. The buzzwords that describe how you use the mouse are as follows:

• Point: To point to an item means to move the mouse pointer so that it's touching the item.
• Click: Point to the item, then tap (press and release) the left mouse button.
• Double-click: Point to the item, and tap the left mouse button twice in rapid succession - click-click as fast as you can.
• Right-click: Point to the item, then tap the mouse button on the right.
• Drag: Point to an item, then hold down the left mouse button as you move the mouse. To drop the item, release the left mouse button.
• Right-drag: Point to an item, then hold down the right mouse button as you move the mouse. To drop the item, release the right mouse button.

The Keyboard

Like the mouse, the keyboard is a means of interacting with your computer. You really only need to use the keyboard when you're typing text. Most of the keys on the keyboard are laid out like the keys on a typewriter. But there are some special keys like Esc (Escape), Ctrl (Control), and Alt (Alternate). There are also some keys across the top of the keyboard labeled F1, F2, F3, and so forth. Those are called the function keys, and the exact role they play depends on which program you happen to be using at the moment.

Most keyboards also have a numeric keypad with the keys laid out like the keys on a typical adding machine. If you're accustomed to using an adding machine, you might want to use the numeric keypad, rather than the numbers across the top of the keyboard, to type numbers. It doesn't really matter which keys you use. The numeric keypad is just there as a convenience to people who are accustomed to adding machines.

Figure 4

Most keyboards also contain a set of navigation keys. You can use the navigation keys to move around around through text on the screen. The navigation keys won't move the mouse pointer. Only the mouse moves the mouse pointer.

On smaller keyboards where space is limited, such as on a notebook computer, the navigation keys and numeric keypad might be one in the same. There will be a Num Lock key on the keypad. When the Num Lock key is "on", the numeric keypad keys type numbers. When the Num Lock key is "off", the navigation keys come into play. The Num Lock key acts as a toggle. Which is to say, when you tap it, it switches to the opposite state. For example, if Num Lock is on, tapping that key turns it off. If Num Lock is off, tapping that key turns Num Lock on.

Combination Keystrokes (Shortcut keys)

Those mysterious Ctrl and Alt keys are often used in combination with other keys to perform some task. We often refer to these combination keystrokes as shortcut keys, because they provide an alternative to using the mouse to select menu options in programs. Shortcut keys are always expressed as:

key1+key2

where the idea is to hold down key1, tap key2, then release key1. For example, to press Ctrl+Esc hold down the Ctrl key (usually with your pinkie), tap the Esc key, then release the Ctrl key. To press Alt+F you hold down the Alt key, tap the letter F, then release the Alt key.

Join us on Facebook

Folder Lock 7

Click to Download

Folder Lock 7 comes with a perfect combination of seven (7) security tools, letting you encrypt your important files using 256-bit on-the-fly encryption; back them up in real-time to an online storage, and store them to any portable device. The program also lets you lock files, folders and drives; save your personal information in Wallets; shred files and clean your Windows History.

Folder Lock 7 comes with additional security settings unheard before, including application level password security, stealth mode, hack security and auto protection. Folder Lock works under all flavors of 32-bit and 64-bit versions of Windows 7/Vista/XP and later.

Folder Lock is the most downloaded file-security program in the market today.

Features of Folder Lock 7.1:

• Encrypt Files: Encrypt your personal files using 256-bit on-the-fly encryption technology totally dynamic and fool-proof.
• Backup Online: Backup all your encrypted files automatically to an online storage and easily restore it back.
• Protect USB/CD: Convert your encrypted storages into executables and take your portable drives anywhere.
• Lock Files: Protect important files from unwanted access by blocking visibility or access to files, folders and drives.
• Make Wallets: Store sensitive information in encrypted form. A safe haven for private info like Credit Cards and Bank Accounts.
• Shred Files: Shred and permanently delete restorable files, folders and drives and even empty hard drive space.
• Stealth Mode:Run Application in complete Stealth. Don't let anyone know you ever installed Folder Lock on your PC.
• Hack Security: Don't let hackers use dictionary attacks. Monitor, control and perform actions on incorrect password attempts
• Password Security: Restrict access to various parts of the application with use of admin level master password
• Auto Protection: Set inactivity based security policy in order to secure everything when you're away from your PC.

What's New in Folder Lock 7.1.6 :

· Folder Lock has been upgraded and enhanced to work with Windows 8 operating system. This version update also resolves user-reported issue related to encrypted Lockers.

Protected Folder

Protected Folder Description

Protected Folder is designed to password-protect your folders and files from being seen, read or modified. It works like a safety box, just drag and drop the folders or files you want to hide or protect into Protected Folder, then no one can see, read or modify them. Whether you are concerned with privacy, data theft, data loss, or data leaks, Protected Folder is an ideal tool for you.  

What's new:
+ Added Support for Windows 8
+ Added More Language Files
+ Improved Interface

+ Fixed General Bugs

Click to Download

History of Windows

Highlights from the first 25 years

1975–1981: Microsoft boots up

Getting started: Microsoft co-founders Paul Allen (left) and Bill Gates

It’s the 1970s. At work, we rely on typewriters. If we need to copy a document, we likely use a mimeograph or carbon paper. Few have heard of microcomputers, but two young computer enthusiasts, Bill Gates and Paul Allen, see that personal computing is a path to the future.

In 1975, Gates and Allen form a partnership called Microsoft. Like most start-ups, Microsoft begins small, but has a huge vision—a computer on every desktop and in every home. During the next years, Microsoft begins to change the ways we work.

The dawn of MS‑DOS

In June 1980, Gates and Allen hire Gates’ former Harvard classmate Steve Ballmer to help run the company. The next month, IBM approaches Microsoft about a project code-named "Chess." In response, Microsoft focuses on a new operating system—the software that manages, or runs, the computer hardware and also serves to bridge the gap between the computer hardware and programs, such as a word processor. It’s the foundation on which computer programs can run. They name their new operating system "MS‑DOS."

When the IBM PC running MS‑DOS ships in 1981, it introduces a whole new language to the general public. Typing “C:” and various cryptic commands gradually becomes part of daily work. People discover the backslash (\) key.

MS‑DOS is effective, but also proves difficult to understand for many people. There has to be a better way to build an operating system.

Geek trivia: MS‑DOS stands for Microsoft Disk Operating System.

1982–1985: Introducing Windows 1.0

Microsoft works on the first version of a new operating system. Interface Manager is the code name and is considered as the final name, but Windows prevails because it best describes the boxes or computing “windows” that are fundamental to the new system. Windows is announced in 1983, but it takes a while to develop. Skeptics call it “vaporware.”

The fully-packaged Windows 1.0

On November 20, 1985, two years after the initial announcement, Microsoft ships Windows 1.0. Now, rather than typing MS‑DOS commands, you just move a mouse to point and click your way through screens, or “windows.” Bill Gates says, “It is unique software designed for the serious PC user…”

There are drop-down menus, scroll bars, icons, and dialog boxes that make programs easier to learn and use. You're able to switch among several programs without having to quit and restart each one. Windows 1.0 ships with several programs, including MS‑DOS file management, Paint, Windows Writer, Notepad, Calculator, and a calendar, card file, and clock to help you manage day-to-day activities. There’s even a game—Reversi.

Geek trivia: Remember floppy disks and kilobytes? Windows 1.0 requires a minimum of 256 kilobytes (KB), two double-sided floppy disk drives, and a graphics adapter card. A hard disk and 512 KB memory is recommended for running multiple programs or when using DOS 3.0 or higher.

1987–1992: Windows 2.0–2.11—More windows, more speed

On December 9, 1987 Microsoft releases Windows 2.0 with desktop icons and expanded memory. With improved graphics support, you can now overlap windows, control the screen layout, and use keyboard shortcuts to speed up your work. Some software developers write their first Windows–based programs for this release.

Windows 2.0

Windows 2.0 is designed for the Intel 286 processor. When the Intel 386 processor is released, Windows/386 soon follows to take advantage of its extended memory capabilities. Subsequent Windows releases continue to improve the speed, reliability, and usability of the PC.

In 1988, Microsoft becomes the world’s largest PC software company based on sales. Computers are starting to become a part of daily life for some office workers.

Geek trivia: Control Panel makes its first appearance in Windows 2.0.

1990–1994: Windows 3.0–Windows NT—Getting the graphics

On May 22, 1990, Microsoft announces Windows 3.0, followed shortly by Windows 3.1 in 1992. Taken together, they sell 10 million copies in their first 2 years, making this the most widely used Windows operating system yet. The scale of this success causes Microsoft to revise earlier plans. Virtual Memory improves visual graphics. In 1990 Windows starts to look like the versions to come.

Windows now has significantly better performance, advanced graphics with 16 colors, and improved icons. A new wave of 386 PCs helps drive the popularity of Windows 3.0. With full support for the Intel 386 processor, programs run noticeably faster. Program Manager, File Manager, and Print Manager arrive in Windows 3.0.

Bill Gates shows the newly-released Windows 3.0

Windows software is installed with floppy discs bought in large boxes with heavy instruction manuals.

The popularity of Windows 3.0 grows with the release of a new Windows software development kit (SDK), which helps software developers focus more on writing programs and less on writing device drivers.

Windows is increasingly used at work and home and now includes games like Solitaire, Hearts, and Minesweeper. An advertisement: “Now you can use the incredible power of Windows 3.0 to goof off.”

Windows for Workgroups 3.11 adds peer-to-peer workgroup and domain networking support and, for the first time, PCs become an integral part of the emerging client/server computing evolution.

Windows NT

When Windows NT releases on July 27, 1993, Microsoft meets an important milestone: the completion of a project begun in the late 1980s to build an advanced new operating system from scratch. "Windows NT represents nothing less than a fundamental change in the way that companies can address their business computing requirements," Bill Gates says at its release.

Unlike Windows 3.1, however, Windows NT 3.1 is a 32-bit operating system, which makes it a strategic business platform that supports high-end engineering and scientific programs.

Geek trivia: The group that develops Windows NT was originally called the "Portable Systems" team.

1995–2001: Windows 95—the PC comes of age (and don't forget the Internet)

On August 24, 1995, Microsoft releases Windows 95, selling a record-setting 7 million copies in the first five weeks. It’s the most publicized launch Microsoft has ever taken on. Television commercials feature the Rolling Stones singing "Start Me Up" over images of the new Start button. The press release simply begins: “It’s here.”

Launch day: Bill Gates introduces Windows 95

This is the era of fax/modems, e‑mail, the new online world, and dazzling multimedia games and educational software. Windows 95 has built-in Internet support, dial-up networking, and new Plug and Play capabilities that make it easy to install hardware and software. The 32-bit operating system also offers enhanced multimedia capabilities, more powerful features for mobile computing, and integrated networking.

At the time of the Windows 95 release, the previous Windows and MS‑DOS operating systems are running on about 80 percent of the world’s PCs. Windows 95 is the upgrade to these operating systems. To run Windows 95, you need a PC with a 386DX or higher processor (486 recommended) and at least 4 MB of RAM (8 MB of RAM recommended). Upgrade versions are available for both floppy disk and CD-ROM formats. It’s available in 12 languages.

Windows 95 features the first appearance of the Start menu, taskbar, and minimize, maximize, and close buttons on each window.

Windows 95

Catching the Internet wave

In the early 1990s, tech insiders are talking about the Internet—a network of networks that has the power to connect computers all over the world. In 1995, Bill Gates delivers a memo titled “The Internet Tidal Wave,” and declares the Internet as “the most important development since the advent of the PC.”

In the summer of 1995, the first version of Internet Explorer is released. The browser joins those already vying for space on the World Wide Web.

Geek trivia: In 1996, Microsoft releases Flight Simulator for Windows 95—the first time in its 14-year history that it’s available for Windows.

1998–2000: Windows 98, Windows 2000, Windows Me

Windows 98

Released on June 25, 1998, Windows 98 is the first version of Windows designed specifically for consumers. PCs are common at work and home, and Internet cafes where you can get online are popping up. Windows 98 is described as an operating system that “Works Better, Plays Better.”

With Windows 98, you can find information more easily on your PC as well as the Internet. Other improvements include the ability to open and close programs more quickly, and support for reading DVD discs and universal serial bus (USB) devices. Another first appearance is the Quick Launch bar, which lets you run programs without having to browse the Start menu or look for them on the desktop.

Geek trivia: Windows 98 is the last version based on MS‑DOS.

Windows 98

Windows Me

Designed for home computer use, Windows Me offers numerous music, video, and home networking enhancements and reliability improvements compared to previous versions.

First appearances: System Restore, a feature that can roll back your PC software configuration to a date or time before a problem occurred. Movie Maker provides users with the tools to digitally edit, save, and share home videos. And with Microsoft Windows Media Player 7 technologies, you can find, organize, and play digital media.

Geek trivia: Technically speaking, Windows Me was the last Microsoft operating system to be based on the Windows 95 code base. Microsoft announced that all future operating system products would be based on the Windows NT and Windows 2000 kernel.

Windows 2000 Professional

Windows 2000 Professional

More than just the upgrade to Windows NT Workstation 4.0, Windows 2000 Professional is designed to replace Windows 95, Windows 98, and Windows NT Workstation 4.0 on all business desktops and laptops. Built on top of the proven Windows NT Workstation 4.0 code base, Windows 2000 adds major improvements in reliability, ease of use, Internet compatibility, and support for mobile computing.

Among other improvements, Windows 2000 Professional simplifies hardware installation by adding support for a wide variety of new Plug and Play hardware, including advanced networking and wireless products, USB devices, IEEE 1394 devices, and infrared devices.

Geek trivia: The nightly stress test performed on Windows 2000 during development is the equivalent of three months of run time on up to 1,500 computers.

2001–2005: Windows XP—Stable, usable, and fast

On October 25, 2001, Windows XP is released with a redesigned look and feel that's centered on usability and a unified Help and Support services center. It’s available in 25 languages. From the mid-1970s until the release of Windows XP, about 1 billion PCs have been shipped worldwide.

For Microsoft, Windows XP will become one of its best-selling products in the coming years. It’s both fast and stable. Navigating the Start menu, taskbar, and Control Panel are more intuitive. Awareness of computer viruses and hackers increases, but fears are to a certain extent calmed by the online delivery of security updates. Consumers begin to understand warnings about suspicious attachments and viruses. There’s more emphasis on Help and Support.

Ship it: Windows XP Professional rolls to retail stores

Windows XP Home Edition offers a clean, simplified visual design that makes frequently used features more accessible. Designed for home use, Windows XP offers such enhancements as the Network Setup Wizard, Windows Media Player, Windows Movie Maker, and enhanced digital photo capabilities.

Windows XP Professional brings the solid foundation of Windows 2000 to the PC desktop, enhancing reliability, security, and performance. With a fresh visual design, Windows XP Professional includes features for business and advanced home computing, including remote desktop support, an encrypting file system, and system restore and advanced networking features. Key enhancements for mobile users include wireless 802.1x networking support, Windows Messenger, and Remote Assistance.

Windows XP has several editions during these years:

• Windows XP 64-bit Edition (2001) is the first Microsoft operating system for 64-bit processors designed for working with large amounts of memory and projects such as movie special effects, 3D animations, engineering, and scientific programs.
• Windows XP Media Center Edition (2002) is made for home computing and entertainment. You can browse the Internet, watch live television, enjoy digital music and video collections, and watch DVDs.
• Windows XP Tablet PC Edition (2002) realizes the vision of pen-based computing. Tablet PCs include a digital pen for handwriting recognition and you can use the mouse or keyboard, too.

Geek trivia: Windows XP is compiled from 45 million lines of code.

2006–2008: Windows Vista—Smart on security

Windows Vista is released in 2006 with the strongest security system yet. User Account Control helps prevent potentially harmful software from making changes to your computer. In Windows Vista Ultimate, BitLocker Drive Encryption provides better data protection for your computer, as laptop sales and security needs increase. Windows Vista also features enhancements to Windows Media Player as more and more people come to see their PCs as central locations for digital media. Here you can watch television, view and send photographs, and edit videos.

Windows Vista Ultimate

Design plays a big role in Windows Vista, and features such as the taskbar and the borders around windows get a brand new look. Search gets new emphasis and helps people find files on their PCs faster. Windows Vista introduces new editions that each have a different mix of features. It's available in 35 languages. The redesigned Start button makes its first appearance in Windows Vista.

Geek trivia: More than 1.5 million devices are compatible with Windows Vista at launch.

2009: Windows 7

Windows 7 was built for the wireless world that arose in the late 2000s. By the time it was released, laptops were outselling desktops, and it had become common to connect to public wireless hotspots in coffee shops and private networks in the home.

Windows 7 included new ways to work with windows—like Snap, Peek, and Shake—which both improved functionality and made the interface more fun to use. It also marked the debut of Windows Touch, which let touchscreen users browse the web, flip through photos, and open files and folders.

Improvements to the Windows 7 taskbar include live thumbnail previews

Geek trivia: Windows 7 was evaluated by 8 million beta testers worldwide before it was released.

2012: Windows 8

Windows 8 is Windows reimagined from the chipset to the user experience. It functions as both a tablet for entertainment and a full-featured PC for getting things done. It introduces a totally new interface that works smoothly for both touch and mouse and keyboard. Windows 8 also includes enhancements of the familiar Windows desktop, with a new taskbar and streamlined file management.

Windows 8 features a Start screen with tiles that connect to people, files, apps, and websites. Apps are front and center, with access to a new place to get apps—the Windows Store—built right in to the Start screen.

Along with Windows 8, Microsoft also launched Windows RT, which runs on some tablets and PCs. Windows RT is designed for sleek devices and long battery life, and exclusively runs apps from the Windows Store. It also comes with a built-in version of Office that's optimized for touchscreens.

Geek trivia: Power users will notice that Windows 8 has made the detection and correction of file system errors both more transparent and less intrusive.

Join Us On FaceBook

Computer History By Year

Computer History Year/Enter	Computer History Inventors/Inventions	Computer History Description of Event
1936	Konrad Zuse - Z1 Computer	First freely programmable computer.
1942	John Atanasoff & Clifford Berry ABC Computer	Who was first in the computing biz is not always as easy as ABC.
1944	Howard Aiken & Grace Hopper Harvard Mark I Computer	The Harvard Mark 1 computer.
1946	John Presper Eckert & John W. Mauchly ENIAC 1 Computer	20,000 vacuum tubes later...
1948	Frederic Williams & Tom Kilburn Manchester Baby Computer & The Williams Tube	Baby and the Williams Tube turn on the memories.
1947/48	John Bardeen, Walter Brattain & Wiliam Shockley The Transistor	No, a transistor is not a computer, but this invention greatly affected the history of computers.
1951	John Presper Eckert & John W. Mauchly UNIVAC Computer	First commercial computer & able to pick presidential winners.
1953	International Business Machines IBM 701 EDPM Computer	IBM enters into 'The History of Computers'.
1954	John Backus & IBM FORTRAN Computer Programming Language	The first successful high level programming language.
1955 (In Use 1959)	Stanford Research Institute, Bank of America, and General Electric ERMA and MICR	The first bank industry computer - also MICR (magnetic ink character recognition) for reading checks.
1958	Jack Kilby & Robert Noyce The Integrated Circuit	Otherwise known as 'The Chip'
1962	Steve Russell & MIT Spacewar Computer Game	The first computer game invented.
1964	Douglas Engelbart Computer Mouse & Windows	Nicknamed the mouse because the tail came out the end.
1969	ARPAnet	The original Internet.
1970	Intel 1103 Computer Memory	The world's first available dynamic RAM chip.
1971	Faggin, Hoff & Mazor Intel 4004 Computer Microprocessor	The first microprocessor.
1971	Alan Shugart &IBM The "Floppy" Disk	Nicknamed the "Floppy" for its flexibility.
1973	Robert Metcalfe & Xerox The Ethernet Computer Networking	Networking.
1974/75	Scelbi & Mark-8 Altair & IBM 5100 Computers	The first consumer computers.
1976/77	Apple I, II & TRS-80 & Commodore Pet Computers	More first consumer computers.
1978	Dan Bricklin & Bob Frankston VisiCalc Spreadsheet Software	Any product that pays for itself in two weeks is a surefire winner.
1979	Seymour Rubenstein & Rob Barnaby WordStar Software	Word Processors.
1981	IBM The IBM PC - Home Computer	From an "Acorn" grows a personal computer revolution
1981	Microsoft MS-DOS Computer Operating System	From "Quick And Dirty" comes the operating system of the century.
1983	Apple Lisa Computer	The first home computer with a GUI, graphical user interface.
1984	Apple Macintosh Computer	The more affordable home computer with a GUI.
1985	Microsoft Windows	Microsoft begins the friendly war with Apple.