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Anti Spam at the Enterprise Level
Copyright 2005 Richard Keir
Every one of us knows how spam impacts us. Every day we either get a ton of spam - or if we're fairly well protected by spam filters - only a few pieces.
Like a large number of people, I don't use any spam filters....
Buying E-books On E-bay: E-bay The One-stop E-book Shop
On September 1995, one of the most prestigious online shopping sites was founded. eBay is unique because it allows online shoppers, either as individuals or as a group, a wide variety of merchandise that they can buy, sell or trade within their...
Can I Hear Your Web Site?
A web site makes great eye candy, but can your web site engage senses other than sight? Believe it or not, there are actually companies working to add smell and taste to your web sites and emails! For fun, check out www.trisenx.com . At this...
IBM Lotus Domino or Microsoft Exchange?
IBM Lotus Domino or Microsoft Exchange? The severe competition continues for many years between two main leaders in collaboration solutions - IBM and Microsoft. Whether the choice of a platform influences the ordinary user? The both of software...
Security in Today's World
There are many things in life that are worth protecting. Our children, our valuables, our resources and of course, ourselves. Only twenty years ago, if security was mentioned, you were speaking of protecting your home. And you were most likely...
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Easy to Execute!
Plug and play equipment or hardware solves the problem of driver installation, re-starting routines, and generally speaking, “hassle”, for those who are not technically proficient.
If your computer supports “Plug and Play”, then, as the name suggests, you simply plug it in and play. For people who are “word perfect”, plug and play might sound somewhat misleading. Peripherals, such as your mouse, keyboard, monitors, scanners, network adaptors, or printers are included in this.
This long awaited technology is made possible via your U.S.B. port. U.S.B. is an abbreviation for UNIVERSAL SERIAL BUS. Using this port, your computer detects such peripherals, and after detection, configuration is automatic, in so far as you have no further input.
Prior to “plug n play”, you would have to insert a floppy disc or cd, to supply and install the necessary software or “driver”. To put it simply, your computer cannot see or indeed smell or intuitively know what a device, its properties, requirements and priorities are.
Most computers have two USB ports, usually situated on the back of your unit. A U.S.B. “hub” will effectively increase this number. Basically, it is like an electrical adaptor which allows up to seven devices to be connected to it. If you are a big “gadget” fan, you can simply plug another hub into the first one, and so
on.
U.S.B. is classified as Serial communication, as opposed to parallel communication.
This means that it transmits data/info/signal, if you like, one “bit” at a time. Conversely, it receives it in a similar fashion. This is done or executed, in one wire or cable.
Did you ever notice the “big” or “wide” ends on your cables? These cables are parallel and transmit/receive data/info/signals, many “bits” at a time. Therefore, parallel communication needs many cables/wires and consequently more connections, at its port.
U.S.B. ports and cables are smaller. Just pop around to the back of your P.C., and you will immediately notice the difference. On the machine that I am currently working on, I noticed that the printer has both types of ports and that the parallel port and cabling is the option that the technician used. The serial option would have worked just the same, at this level, where transmission speeds are of little relevance.
In summary, Plug ‘n Play is welcomed and embraced by everyone and is a major step towards “user-friendly” computing.
Seamus Dolly is the webmaster of http://www.CountControl.com His background is in engineering and analogue electronics. His studies include A+, Net+ and Server+.
seamus@countcontrol.com
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