5 cool Windows XP tips

Straight from the pages of Windows XP Killer Tips, here are 5 cool tips that will save you time, change the way your desktop looks, or simply make you say, "I always wondered how to do that."

Try them yourself and then share them with your family and friends.

Stretching the taskbar

Sometimes your taskbar gets a little tight and cramped for room. When this happens, give it a stretch.

First, unlock your taskbar by right-clicking the taskbar, and then clicking Lock the Taskbar if it is selected (this will un-select it). Scroll your mouse over the top edge of the taskbar until you see the vertical resize cursor (arrow pointing up and down). Click, hold and drag the top of the taskbar up. Isn't that better? Once you find a place where you like it, you should re-select Lock the Taskbar.

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Adding a special character

There are probably one or two special characters that you use regularly (for example, ® and ©). It can be a real time-waster to open your Character Map every time you want to insert one of these symbols. So don't! Open the Character Map by clicking Start, clicking All Programs, and then clicking Accessories. Click System Tools, and then click Character Map. Click the © symbol. Notice that the bottom-right corner of the Character Map shows the keyboard shortcut used to insert the special character. Write it down for later use. When you want to insert that character, here's the trick: Position the cursor where you want to insert the special character, then with NUM LOCK key on, hold down the ALT key and use the number pad keys to type the character value.

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Open files with one click

It just makes sense that if you can do the same thing in Windows with a single click of the mouse that you can do with two clicks, you'd take the shorter route, right?

If you want to change your two clicks to one, click Start, click My Computer. Under the Tools menu, click Folder Options. Now click the General tab in the dialog box, click Single-click to open an item (point to select), and then click OK. This makes everything in Windows exactly one click faster.

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Change your pointer scheme

The first thing I do when I get a new computer is head straight for the cursors and change them. It's not that the default ones are bad; I've just been using the same ones forever and I'm not comfortable using anything else. If you want to change your pointer scheme, click Start, and then click Control Panel. In Category View (vs. Classic View) click on Printers and Other Hardware, and then click on Mouse. Click the Pointers tab and browse the available themes. Select the one that suits you best, and then click OK.

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Change the power button

I rarely ever shut down my computer; instead, I tend to put my system into stand by mode. Here's a clever way to speed up this task and make your computer's power button put your computer into stand by for you. Click Start and open the Control Panel. In Category View, click Performance and Maintenance, and then click Power Options. In the Power Options Properties dialog box, click the Advanced tab. Under Power Buttons, select Stand by in the When I press the power button on my computer area, and then click OK. Now, when you push your computer's power button, your system will immediately go to stand by.

Orkut: The new danger

Orkut: The new danger

Orkut, the online portal, owned by Google finds itself at the centre of debate. A nineteen-year-old student has been accused of making a fake account of a girl. Can we prevent the misuse of this technology by not posting our numbers and pictures?

ABHISHEK NEVER IMAGINED that the prank he played on his classmate would land him in jail. Abhishek, a management student and still in his teens, was arrested by the Thane police following a girl’s complaint about tarnishing her image in the public forum - Orkut. The report after being published in Mumbai Mirror has created a stir among the Orkutians and opened up a whole new box of debate.

The incident

Abhishek had created a fake account in the name of the girl with her mobile number posted on the profile. The profile has been sketched in such a way that it draws lewd comments from many who visit her profile. The Thane Cyber Cell tracked down Abhishek from the false e-mail id that he made to open up the account.

The question

In this case, the girl has not posted her picture or mobile number in the fake profile. A brief search in the Orkut profile will reveal many such profiles with pictures of beautiful girls. My guess is that many of these girls are not even aware of the fact that their profile exists. These are created by some other people. I will term this as “rape of the image”. Now the question is “Can we really prevent this rape?”

The debate

The Mumbai Mirror’s report on the issue came with tips to the Orkut users. Police Sub-Inspector Ravindra Chauhan has been quoted as saying, “Orkut users should not put up their photographs on the site. They should not reveal personal information in their profile. Also no cellphone numbers or identity should be mentioned in the scrap book, as it is open to all.” But whether this really can be a way out, is debatable. “What about the hundreds of CVs I send to the unknown agencies everyday? They even contain my mobile number”, says Aditi, a DU student and a hardcore Orkut addict. She does have a point.

The truth is that in today’s world mobile numbers are far from being personal information. The proof lies in the numerous sales calls that we receive from credit card agents. On the issue of the photograph, Aditi says, “When Orkut gives an opportunity to show your face to the whole world, then why not?” When asked about the risks involved, she replied, “Who cares?” But everyone is not as carefree as Aditi. A brief search in Orkut once more will reveal profiles that have pictures of film stars, flowers, animals, sceneries and not the face of the owner. “I will never put my picture on Orkut profile,” says Mansi, whose profile in Orkut carries the picture of Aishwarya Rai. “It’s not safe, anybody and everybody can save it on their computer and can misuse it.” But here again the question lies - can we really prevent it? What happens to the hundreds of passport photographs we send with the application forms all our life? Any of them can be scanned and put up without our notice. Are we sure that all copies of the digital pictures taken at our local photography shop are deleted after we leave? “I don’t know, but there is no harm in being careful,” says Mansi.

So perhaps even in this age of globalisation and technical advancements we will hold ourselves from showing our face to the entire world for we never know who is misusing it in what way. And as the lawmakers say “We cannot do anything, until a complaint is lodged”.

Why there is a war for best browser?

Why there is a war for best browser?

Internet Explorer 7 VS Firefox

Who is the bond on internet? Microsoft or Mozilla. I think so both have some flaws and good things in them. It’s not a war of open source and Microsoft. It's just a way of those people to get satisfaction by abusing closed source companies. "Abuse" just because companies day b day don't allow them to use pirated softwares and getting new updates.

Firefox have several things in it easy to use features like tabbed browsing and???? Is there any. You may yes, Extensions. So buddies I want to tell you with each addition of extension you will increase memory requirement of your browser, which is already too high. Frequent browser crash is main drawback of Firefox. It’s true that Firefox is one of the best browsers, But we can't ignore this fact that Internet Explorer is much more ahead of Firefox.

Now come to IE7. One thing is sure when it comes to graphics and user interface no once can beat Microsoft. But still there are some security issues which are coming with IE 7. Tabbed browsing is also there. No one in this world is perfect. Everything has pros and cons. So why not browsers. I am unable to understand why there is a debate going on who is best IE or Mozilla. IE has its own user base and Mozilla has its own. When you want more graphics you have to loose security and when you need more security you have to loose graphics.

Life is a compromise those who can do it survive on earth others can’t. So a user must decide according to his needs that which browser is best for him.

There is a famous phrase in the world that “security is meant only for novice users, miscellaneous user will find some way to crack security”. I use to work on both IE and Firefox as well.

But side by side, whether I use Firefox or IE, I always use firewall and antivirus system also. I use to surf the good sites.

People use to surf sites which have porn content or provides software cracks or serial. Normally these types of sites try to hack your browser or inject a virus in computer. So people should take proper precaution when they visit these types of sites.

Tips to visit sites which provide suspicious content:-

1. When you surf net use a restricted window user account rather than account having administrator privileges.
2. Install a good anti virus on your system and update it regularly.
3. Install a good firewall on your system and also update it plus raise the level of protection than normal one.
4. Disable JavaScript of your browser.
5. Never install any plug-in/Activex suggested by site until unless you are satisfied with gentility of site. Like you can easily trust Microsoft, Yahoo, Google etc. But never trust porn sites.
6. Try to use Genuine Microsoft Windows and other software as it is easy to get update of genuine softwares.

(Price is not an issue for them who want peace of mind. Do you work in your office without pay? Answer is ‘NO’. So if every thing have price than software must also companies use to pay heavy salary to software engineers for those softwares. Frankly speaking if you don’t use genuine software mean to say if you don’t pay for them but still using them than you don’t have any right to say about their good and bad things. Companies are liable to answer only those who pay them just like you are liable to answer you boss. You will listen abusing thing from any body else.)

You can also take them as Tips to use Internet Explorer and Mozilla Firefox.

uffering From Frequent Windows XP Crashes? Try this

uffering From Frequent Windows XP Crashes? Try this

We all are aware of the crashes of operating systems. It's very irritating when you finished writing a long document and as soon as you press save, system crashses. At that time you just abuse the company of your OS and look for another OS to switch over. But if you are using Microsoft Windows XP than just relax, There are some solutions available for your problem. And what's the best part is one of them is windows inbuilt function.

Windows, Mac, Linux every system use to crash. But believe me they are not developed to crash. They are other applications, softwares, device drivers, or faulty hardware which are responsible for crashing of OS. So not making a long chain of comments I am just going straight towards the problem.

System or Application crash is not a problem until unless it does not occur frequently. But if your system is crashing frequently and you are using Windows XP than after each crash Windows shows this type of screen.

At this time what we normally do is just abuse Microsoft and press "Don't Send" Button. We think that it's like salt on wound. But Dear reader take the brake. Instead of pressing button on right side....Press the button on Left Side i.e. "Send Error Report". Don't worry even if you are using pirated windows because Genuine window validation is not required to use this feature. Neither Microsoft collects private data from your computer while Submitting Report.

You will defiantly ask question what's the use of helping Microsoft by submitting report. My dear friend Microsoft have a full department to analyze the problem submitted through this tool.

Visit this link to know more: https://oca.microsoft.com/en/welcome.aspx

Most of the times when you use this tool than as soon as it submit report to Microsoft, it will open a browser window and show you the solution of your problem. Like when I used this tool last time it show me that my device driver of Audio needs to be updated and after upgrade of driver, problem gets solved.

Other Tips to Recover from System Crash:-

1. Use PC analyze software to check your PC for hardware problems. You can use Syssoft Sandra. Its a free software for system analysis. This software also have feature of hardware benchmark.
2. If windows doesn't shows any application name while crashing and Submitting report also fails to provide any information than try to check your RAM . Clean the cabinet and remove all dust on RAM and motherboard.
3. Use softwares like registry cleaner/repairing to clean/repair registry of your Windows. Only one thing I want to mention Most of Registry Cleaning Software are not Free.
4. Try to uninstall the application during use of which system crashes mostly.
5. Sometimes SPYWARES due to conflict with Firewall causes system to respond slowly, restart. So If you are facing frequent system restart than try to look your PC for spywares. AVG Free Anti Spyware is a good option.

Gmail, Why I am leaving it?

Gmail, Why I am leaving it?

In our day to day life we are getting habitual of emails, a major way of communication. Most of the people are using free email services like Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, Lycos, Aol etc..

I think so its near about one and half year back when I heard about Gmail with huge inbox size of 2 GB. Instantly I searched one of my friend and got an invitation for opening a Gmail account. I was very happy at that time. But soon after 7-8 months problems started raising their heads.

So here are the problems:-

1. Gmail is offering more than 2GB of Inbox size but its not for my mails...I think so it's for SPAM. I use to receive 100 to 200 spams per day....and it's quite hectic to find my original mails in INBOX.

2. Labels a cool way to organize mails. Even I can archive old mails and after applying labels they look like folders. But what if I want to download emails on a Desktop client with POP access (Any client). Unfortunately all mails including sentmails get downloaded in Inbox and there is no sign of archived mails. So problem is what gmail is showing on its web interface can't be copied to Desktop mail client.

3. Google adds. Ya I know that they are text adds JavaScript generated adds) but I don't want them so I disabled JavaScript. Shocking!! Gmail advanced interface gone. I came in the basic HTML View. I don't think so any body reading this want to use Gmail in basic view.

4. I don't know which virus scanner software gmail is using but it always refuses to send executable files. What's more even somebody can't send you an executable file.

5. I use to do mail people to whom I will never contact again in future but what Gmail do is remember all email addresses even If I don't want to save them. It never asks me "Do you want to save?". So till now there are more than 2000 email contacts in my address book and I don't know who is known who is not.

I am not an anti Google guy as I am using it's other services like notepad, bookmarks, analytics, webmaster tools etc. and they are cool.

What I want to say that there are several small players in the field who provides good services...... I know there are too many Google guys who say that they don't find any trouble in using it. But I want to get answer of 1, 2 and 4th point mainly listed above from those guys.

Now I have switched over to other email service quite better than Gmail. Atleast I have control on all things.

The History of Valentine’s Day

The History of Valentine’s Day

Every February, across the country, candy, flowers, and gifts are exchanged between loved ones, all in the name of St. Valentine. But who is this mysterious saint and why do we celebrate this holiday? The history of Valentine’s Day — and its patron saint — is shrouded in mystery. But we do know that February has long been a month of romance. St. Valentine’s Day, as we know it today, contains vestiges of both Christian and ancient Roman tradition. So, who was Saint Valentine and how did he become associated with this ancient rite? Today, the Catholic Church recognizes at least three different saints named Valentine or Valentinus, all of whom were martyred.

One legend contends that Valentine was a priest who served during the third century in Rome. When Emperor Claudius II decided that single men made better soldiers than those with wives and families, he outlawed marriage for young men — his crop of potential soldiers. Valentine, realizing the injustice of the decree, defied Claudius and continued to perform marriages for young lovers in secret. When Valentine’s actions were discovered, Claudius ordered that he be put to death.

Other stories suggest that Valentine may have been killed for attempting to help Christians escape harsh Roman prisons where they were often beaten and tortured.

According to one legend, Valentine actually sent the first ‘valentine’ greeting himself. While in prison, it is believed that Valentine fell in love with a young girl — who may have been his jailor’s daughter — who visited him during his confinement. Before his death, it is alleged that he wrote her a letter, which he signed ‘From your Valentine,’ an expression that is still in use today.

Although the truth behind the Valentine legends is murky, the stories certainly emphasize his appeal as a sympathetic, heroic, and, most importantly, romantic figure. It’s no surprise that by the Middle Ages, Valentine was one of the most popular saints in England and France.
While some believe that Valentine’s Day is celebrated in the middle of February to commemorate the anniversary of Valentine’s death or burial — which probably occurred around 270 A.D — others claim that the Christian church may have decided to celebrate Valentine’s feast day in the middle of February in an effort to ‘christianize’ celebrations of the pagan Lupercalia festival. In ancient Rome, February was the official beginning of spring and was considered a time for purification. Houses were ritually cleansed by sweeping them out and then sprinkling salt and a type of wheat called spelt throughout their interiors. Lupercalia, which began at the ides of February, February 15, was a fertility festival dedicated to Faunus, the Roman god of agriculture, as well as to the Roman founders Romulus and Remus.


To begin the festival, members of the Luperci, an order of Roman priests, would gather at the sacred cave where the infants Romulus and Remus, the founders of Rome, were believed to have been cared for by a she-wolf or lupa. The priests would then sacrifice a goat, for fertility, and a dog, for purification.


The boys then sliced the goat’s hide into strips, dipped them in the sacrificial blood and took to the streets, gently slapping both women and fields of crops with the goathide strips. Far from being fearful, Roman women welcomed being touched with the hides because it was believed the strips would make them more fertile in the coming year. Later in the day, according to legend, all the young women in the city would place their names in a big urn. The city’s bachelors would then each choose a name out of the urn and become paired for the year with his chosen woman. These matches often ended in marriage. Pope Gelasius declared February 14 St. Valentine’s Day around 498 A.D. The Roman ‘lottery’ system for romantic pairing was deemed un-Christian and outlawed. Later, during the Middle Ages, it was commonly believed in France and England that February 14 was the beginning of birds’ mating season, which added to the idea that the middle of February — Valentine’s Day — should be a day for romance. The oldest known valentine still in existence today was a poem written by Charles, Duke of Orleans to his wife while he was imprisoned in the Tower of London following his capture at the Battle of Agincourt. The greeting, which was written in 1415, is part of the manuscript collection of the British Library in London, England. Several years later, it is believed that King Henry V hired a writer named John Lydgate to compose a valentine note to Catherine of Valois.


In Great Britain, Valentine’s Day began to be popularly celebrated around the seventeenth century. By the middle of the eighteenth century, it was common for friends and lovers in all social classes to exchange small tokens of affection or handwritten notes. By the end of the century, printed cards began to replace written letters due to improvements in printing technology. Ready-made cards were an easy way for people to express their emotions in a time when direct expression of one’s feelings was discouraged. Cheaper postage rates also contributed to an increase in the popularity of sending Valentine’s Day greetings. Americans probably began exchanging hand-made valentines in the early 1700s. In the 1840s, Esther A. Howland began to sell the first mass-produced valentines in America.


According to the Greeting Card Association, an estimated one billion valentine cards are sent each year, making Valentine’s Day the second largest card-sending holiday of the year. (An estimated 2.6 billion cards are sent for Christmas.)


Approximately 85 percent of all valentines are purchased by women. In addition to the United States, Valentine’s Day is celebrated in Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom, France, and Australia.


Valentine greetings were popular as far back as the Middle Ages (written Valentine’s didn’t begin to appear until after 1400), and the oldest known Valentine card is on display at the British Museum. The first commercial Valentine’s Day greeting cards produced in the U.S. were created in the 1840s by Esther A. Howland. Howland, known as the Mother of the Valentine, made elaborate creations with real lace, ribbons and colorful pictures known as “scrap”.

Delete your TEMP files on shutdown

Delete your TEMP files on shutdown
It is really easy to set Windows XP to delete the contents of your Temp folder (or run any other commands) on shutdown. There are numerous reasons why you might want to delete your Temporary files when you shutdown Windows XP. Your Temporary files folder can get extremely large. Take a look at what’s in C:\WINDOWS\Temp.

The first step is to install Xecutor. You can download Xecutor from the Xpertdesign homepage.


The second step is to create a batch file that will delete your temporary files on shutdown. To do this open up notepad and type the following line:del /Q G:\WINDOWS\Temp save your file as tempdelete.bat. Alternatively, you can download my tempdelete.bat file if you prefer.

The third step is to configure Xecutor to run the tempdelete.bat file on shutdown. Open
Xecutor, and answer no to the stream of questionsit prompts you with the first time you run it. Next choose the shutdown tab and add tempdelete.bat file. This is shown below:

After you hit OK you will now see tempdelete.bat in the shutdown tab of Xecutor.
Now just close Xecutor and it will run in your system tray. The last step is to drag the Xecutor icon from your desktop into your Startup folder located in Start >> All Programs >> Startup so that Xecutor starts when you start Windows.
You are all set, now when you shutdown Windows, your temporary files will be deleted, as well. You can add other commands the same way (i.e., delete cookies, delete My Documents, etc.).
What other commands do you think would be useful to run at Shutdown? Let us know in the comments.

Make XP boot even Faster

Make XP boot even Faster
Microsoft has chosen a completely different path for XP and it’s boot features by trying to incorporate as much support for newer fastboot BIOSes that are on most current motherboards. They built XP in such a way as to make it able to take advantage of features in these new BIOSes, and one of the coolest things is a small application called bootvis. bootvis.Bootvis watches everything that loads at boot time, from the moment the OS begins to load just after POST (Power On Self-Test) to the moment you get to a usable Desktop. Some programs, most notably Norton AntiVirus 2007, suck up valuable seconds before you can actually DO anything even though you’re at the Desktop. bootvis generates a trace file that you load and can then “see” a visual representation of what’s happening. Every file, driver, hard drive read/write, etc., is recorded. You can then use bootvis to optimize the loading of files during the boot sequence. bootvis will rearrange the ways these very files are stored on the hard drive, thereby improving the boot time dramatically.

Make Windows XP Act Like Vista

Make Windows XP Act Like Vista
Not thrilled about spending a bundle on Vista–and dealing with potential bugs and hardware upgrades? Stick with XP, and use these tools to emulate the Vista experience.
The Hassle: I’m trying to resist moving to Vista. How can I make XP perform like the new Windows OS?
The Fix(es): You can be a holdout (like me) and use a few XP-based freebies that do a surprisingly good job of emulating some of Vista’s fancy graphical features. The first three apps listed below are my favorites. You can find all of the free tools and more online at “Add Vista Features to XP.”
Copernic Desktop Search: Vista’s search is fast and smart–and so is Copernic’s, with keyword, file content, Boolean, and wildcard searches. If you don’t like the look and feel of Copernic, Google Desktop makes a good substitute.
Desktop Sidebar: Vista has a handy Windows sidebar with calendars, calculators, a quick link to your media player, and RSS feeds. Desktop Sidebar offers similar features, with zillions of add-ons, including a file browser, a weather summary, news updates, and an e-mail checker. Too complicated for you? Then try the simpler LaunchBar Commander, which lets you create multiple on-screen panels (called docks) for launching various applications and documents.
Vista Start Menu SE: This utility creates a fair imitation of Vista’s Start menu, but adds functions that Vista lacks–built-in shortcut keys to frequently used Windows functions such as Reboot, Switch Users, and Hibernate. Another great alternative for organizing apps and files is JetStart Free; it’s faster than Vista Start Menu SE, but less fancy. (Choose just one of these tools.)
Visual Task Tips: This clever tool pops up a preview–a miniature image–of the open window in the taskbar. Scroll your mouse wheel up or down on the image to resize it.
Folder Marker: Customize your folder icons and icon backgrounds with Vista icons. Folder Marker is a snap to use, and you can visit Horizon Software to download a bunch of Vista icons. (Choose icons of the Ico file type.)
If you haven’t had enough (and I know you haven’t), read “Why Wait for Vista?” Scott Dunn’s take on tools that give your PC the look of Vista without the annoying underlying operating system.
WindowBlinds 5: One prominent Vista feature you might like is Windows Glass, the semitransparent, colored window edges that Windows Aero has. WindowBlinds 5 provides skins–visual styles and themes–that allow you to change the look and feel of many parts of Windows XP. For example, this $20 program lets you modify toolbar icons, the Start Menu and Start button, menu and dialog borders, and the taskbar and title bar. Get the Vista Plus Version 2 skin at the WinCustomize site.

Laptop Vs Notebook

Most people use the terms notebook and laptop interchangably.Once it's not sitting on top of your desk every portable computer instantly becomes a notebook or laptop regardless of its configuration.

A standard notebook has the following features:

1. Ultralight. Less weight is better.
2. 4 hours+ battery life.
3. No internal floppy drive.
4. Minimal graphics subsystem.
5. No internal DVD or CD system.
6. 12" - 14" TFT screen.
7. Low profile (thin).
8. Integrated modem and network connection.
9. Smallest possible keyboard that retains functionality.
10. Low power consumption Celeron or Centrino style processor.

In essence a notebook computer is designed to provide mobile computing that won't break your back yet still offer all the power the mobile users requires for work and some leisure pursuits.

Now for the laptop...

A laptop is designed to sit on your lap and you can therefore expect it to be quite large and loaded down with features and power.

The standard laptop computer would have some ,if not all, of the following features:

1. 14" - 17" (widescreen) TFT screen.
2. Nvidia GeForce or ATI Radeon graphics subsystem.
3. Internal DVD-ROM or DVD-RW drive
4. Large full featured keyboard.
5. 2 hour+ battery life.
6. Upgradeable.
7. Integrated modem, network and Wi-Fi capabilities.
8. High quality integrate audio and speaker system.
9. Low power consumption, high performance Intel Centrino style processor.

notebook is the exact opposite of the laptop.
Notebooks offer reasonable power and extreme portability.

Laptops are designed to be capable of replacing an entire desktop PC if necessary whilst still offering desktop performance in a mobile platform.

WHAT IS HOME THEATER?

WHAT IS HOME THEATER?
Do you dream of having a huge television screen with unhindered surround sound? Are you a TV buff, craving for improved quality in your system? Do you dream of watching cinema every day in your living room? Well, a Home Theater is the answer to all your dreams.


BUYING HOME-THEATRE COMPONENTS TV Screen: Well, first things first. You definitely need a large TV. Remember, the buzzword here is THEATRE! The size, resolution, and flatness etc of your TV will be of prime importance.

Speakers: Again, a good set of speakers, and I don't necessarily mean expensive, but carefully chosen speakers would give life to all your viewing.
HiFi VCR: The VCR is a relatively old technology and as a result, even the most feature-packed units are now very affordable. Make sure your VCR has HiFi stereo outputs in order to enjoy surround sound from a VHS tape. If you are buying a new VCR, you should also make sure it includes 4 video heads. 4-head VCR's provide cleaner looking slow motion play and freeze frames. It's a must have for a home theatre, you do want to record your favourite programmes to watch later don't you?

DVD Player: The world over, the DVD has brought the movies to your living room. A much better quality than VHS, digital technology also is better as it keeps away the fungus and no jhanjhat of tracking!
Satellite and Cable Broadcasts: A cable connection is good, but a Digital Satellite Broadcast can offer the most programming choices. However, you need to buy and keep, or lease the equipment. And unlike most cable programming, local TV stations are not available.

Audio/Video Receiver: Think of the A/V Receiver as the hub, which determines which source (CD player, Radio, DVD player, VCR, Tape Deck, etc.) will send the audio (and sometimes video) signal to the speakers and Television. There is no difference between an amplifier and receiver except that a receiver includes a tuner for listening to AM and FM stations. If the receiver includes a processor, then the audio signal can be "processed" to produce the surround sound experience.

Add-ons: Adding a Dolby amplifier to an existing stereo system easily converts it to a multi-channel home-theatre. Amplifiers are available right from 35 watts upto 100 watts RMS (per channel). Always match the amplifier with the speakers; an underpowered amplifier can damage the speakers. So, if you have 35 watts speakers, go in for a 35 watts amplifier.

Dolby ProLogic: Dolby Pro Logic separates a Dolby Surround Sound encoded stereo signal (two channels) into four separate channels- One for the Front Right, One for the Front Left, One for the Center, and one for the Rear (both rear speakers get the same signal). While Dolby ProLogic does not provide a separate channel for Low Frequency Effects (LFE), a powered subwoofer can, and should, still be added for separate amplification of the bass frequencies.

Dolby Digital and DTS: Dolby Digital and DTS includes 6 separate audio channels. Five of these signals carry the full range of frequencies audible to the human ear (Front Right, Front Left, Center, Right Surround, Left Surround) and one signal carries only low end, or bass frequencies for special effects. Basically, the DTS is just a better, fuller sound. It gets better and better…

You can either buy HtiB (Home theatres in a Box), which includes all the components together (amplifier, speakers, subwoofer etc) or buy them separately. The second option will cost you more, but gives a better sound output, flexibility to choose according to your choice and also gives the option of upgrading later on.



HOME THEATRE ARRANGEMENT

SPEAKERSHow you place your speakers can determine whether they will work at their best or not. Each speaker in a home theatre system has its own, unique feature.

Left, Right They carry primarily music and sound effects, and should have the same wide, smooth response as good stereo speakers.

CentreThe centre speaker carries much of the dialogue as well as music and effects, so ideally should be identical to the left and right speakers. A smaller speaker can be used, however, thanks to the "Normal" mode that feeds center channel low bass to the left and right speaker (B). You can even do without one.

SurroundSurround speakers need not reproduce low bass, so can be small and inconspicuous. Nevertheless, their overall sound balance should be as close as possible to the front speakers. Proper placement is vital to establish an evenly distributed sound field.

SubwooferA true subwoofer designed to reproduce powerful low bass effects (explosions, the rumble of spaceships, etc.) dramatically heightens involvement with the action on the screen. Some models are powered by built-in amplifiers, while others are designed to be driven by your existing amplifier, or, for better results, by a separate bass amp. It is not necessary that the subwoofer is of the same make as the speakers, but it should be of the same quality.

Magnectic ShieldingSpeakers placed less than two feet from the TV set must be magnetically shielded models to prevent picture distortion. Virtually all speakers designed specifically for center channel use are shielded, as are many other "A/V" models.

Add-on SpeakersCenter and surround models from virtually all speaker manufacturers make it easy to convert an existing stereo system to home theatre.

In-wall SpeakersMany speaker manufacturers offer high-quality in-wall systems that effectively "disappear" in the room. All five speakers can be in-wall units, or just the fronts or surrounds.

Satellite SystemsMany speaker manufacturers offer high-quality in-wall systems that effectively "disappear" in the room. All five speakers can be in-wall units, or just the fronts or surrounds.

AlignmentAlign the center speaker evenly with (A), or slightly behind (B), the left and right speakers, but not ahead of them.

AnglePlacing the left and right speakers to form a 45 degree angle with your favorite viewing position will duplicate the soundtrack mixer's perspective.

HeightThe mid- and high-frequency drivers of the three front speakers should be as close as possible to the same height. This often requires placing the center speaker directly atop (A) or beneath (B) the TV set.
SURROUND SPEAKERS PLACEMENT
Place the systems preferably on the sides of the system.

HeightIf space permits, install surrounds 2-3 feet above viewers. This helps to minimize localization effects.

AimingAiming surrounds straight across the room, not down at viewers, helps create a more open, spacious surround soundfield. (Some models may require different aiming; see Special designs below).

Special DesignsSidewall mounting, while preferred for direct radiating speakers (A), is usually required for surround speakers designed to radiate to both the front and rear (B). Check instructions for any special placement or aiming needs for your speakers.

TELEVISION PLACEMENT
The TV should not be too close to where you sit. Apart from the fact that you will strain your neck, the screen will also look grainy. A general rule of thumb is to place the television 3 times the screen's diagonal dimension from the ideal viewing and listening spot. As an example, for a 35" TV, your eyes should be 105" (35 x 3), or about 9 feet away. Flat screen TV's minimize glare from light sources in the room. For all other TV's, the natural bow of the screen will pick up light sources throughout the room. Thus don't place lamps etc in a way that the TV catches their glare.



INSTALLATION AND OPERATION TIPS A do-it yourself guide:
The room:
Too many bare surfaces can cause reflections that add harshness to the sound or muddy the dialogue; carpeting and drapes help to keep them in check.
If you have a choice of rooms, avoid those that are perfectly square, or that have one dimension exactly twice another; they can aggravate resonances that colour the sound.

Center the seating area between the side-walls on which you mount the surround speakers.
Keep out external noise by sound proofing the room to enhance the listening experience.

The closer a speaker is placed to intersecting room surfaces--corner, wall and ceiling, wall and floor--the stronger its bass output (possibly too strong in some cases).

Amplifier power: All three front channels should have the same power if the three front speakers are identical. With a smaller center speaker, less center channel power is required. A total of one-half the power of one main front channel is usually sufficient for the surrounds. Specific power requirements depend on how loud you listen, speaker sensitivity, size of the room, and how much its furnishings "soak up" sound.

Audio/video connections: Use good-quality shielded cables, and be sure plugs are fully inserted into jacks. Follow the color code used on most connectors and cables to prevent confusion.

Speaker wiring: Prepare speaker wires by stripping their ends (A), then twisting the bared strands tightly together (B) to prevent shorts across terminals (C). Or, if speaker and amplifier/receiver terminals permit, use "banana" plugs to ensure solid connections (D).

Speaker polarity: Connect the "+" and "-" (usually red and black) terminals on each amplifier channel to the corresponding terminals on each speaker. To make this easier, speaker cable is coded with a bead or stripe down one lead's insulation, and/or different colored wires. Connected identically, all speakers will operate "in phase," with their cones moving back and forth together. "Out of phase" connections, while doing no harm, muddy spatial effects and weaken bass.

Processing enhancements: Some systems also feature "Cinema" digital signal processing (DSP) modes that simulate the acoustics of large theaters, and/or "THX(r)" processing that also strives for a more "theatrical" experience. These are provided as enhancements to Pro Logic decoding, not as alternatives.

Channel balance: Systems with Dolby Pro Logic decoding feature a test signal generator for balancing the channels. As the signal "travels" from channel to channel, adjust the balance controls until each channel plays at the same loudness level. SOME COMMON MISTAKES

Subwoofers and surround speakers are too loud: Enjoy the quality sound, don't overdo it. Calibrate them with a SPL meter and a noise source. You don't want your neighbours to call the police do you?

TV's set to the cool colour temperature: The "warm" setting on most TV's is much closer to the 6500 degrees K level that most people consider "standard". So set it to "warm" or ask someone to calibrate your TV.

Surrounds blasting in the ears: The surround speakers should be higher up and farther away. You don't want to be easily distracted by surround effects. Envelopement should be the goal.

Turn the sharpness on your TV down: Sharpness is bad, it causes ringing, and in excess it actually lowers the resolution instead of increasing it. Keep it at a comfortable level.

Too much ambient light washes out the picture:Close the drapes and turn off the lights, make it dark. I mean, if you want a theatre experience, why leave the lights on?

Bad room layout symmetry:Not having the TV centered or having the front speakers all akimbo is a very common mistake. Putting the TV in the corner is bad. Putting the left front speaker on the floor and the right front on top of the bookshelf is bad. Putting those satellite sized surround speakers on the floor behind the plant is bad. Most of us can't have a dedicated movie room, usually a room needs to maintain its multifunctional value. But hey, that doesn't mean you strain your neck to watch the TV.

Your home theatre system is supposed to be an experience for you to enjoy the experience, and not to ruin it for others. Too much sound is bad, go for quality sound not noise. Enjoy the experience.

Do we need pizza at someone's cost?

Do we need pizza at someone's cost??? Read it & answer urself…

Recently in The Times of India there was an article / advertisement about Pizza delivery Companies which guarantees you free pizza if they fail to deliver within the specified time (like 30 minutes). Have you ever wondered who pays for the free pizzas?? Well, the delivery boy is made to pay for the pizza. They are paid such low wages and the price of the pizza is deducted from their monthly wages which can amount to upto 60% in some months (It becomes difficult to run their family). To deliver the pizzas the delivery boys take high traffic risks as delivery becomes their priority. Their life and safety risks are neither looked into by the Pizza Shop Management nor the Pizza Delivery Boy himself. (They are more concerned to avoid the deduction from their salary).

If this type of exploitation is carried on in your city's pizza logistics we should stop availing the home delivery system, because to deliver our pizza one person may be risking his life. Is the life of an Indian citizen so cheap and of no value?

In case he is late in delivering the pizza, we are enjoying the free pizza at the hard earned money of a poor delivery boy. Is it fair or right on our part to do it?

As a human, please think and if you feel that this is wrong, please spread the message and stop having pizzas delivered at home .

ADDICTED TO THE INTERNET! ! ! !

ADDICTED TO THE INTERNET! ! ! !

1. A friend stops to see you since your phone has been busy-----for a year!!!!!"(FOR DIAL UP'S)

2. You forgot how to work the TV remote control.

3. You see something funny and scream, "LOL, LOL."

4. You tell everyone, that after surgery, your mom went to ICQ ......instead of ICU!

5. You sign off and your screen says you were on for 3 days and 45 minutes.

6. You placed the refrigerator beside your computer.

7. You buy a laptop and a cell phone so you can have ICQ in your car.

8. Tech support calls YOU for help.

9. You beg your friends to get an account so you can "hang out."

10. You get a second phone line just to call out for pizza.

11. You purchase a vanity car license plate with your screen name on it.

12. You say "he he he he" or "heh heh heh" instead of laughing.

13. You say "SCROLL UP" when someone asks what it was you said.

14. You find out divorce papers had been served on you 6 months ago.

15. You talk on the phone with the same person you are sending an instant message to.

16. You look at an annoying person off line and wish that you had your ignore button handy.

17. You start to experience "withdrawal" after not being online for awhile.

18. You say......."Where did the time go??"

19. You sit on ICQ for 6 hours for that certain special person to sign on.

20. You get up in the morning and go online before getting your coffee.

21.You end your sentences with.....three or more periods..... ..

22. Your shoes are suddenly 2 sizes too small.

23. You think faster than the computer.

24. You enter a room and get greeted by

25 people with {{{hugs}}} and ** kisses**.

26. Being called a newbie is a major insult to you.

27. You're on the phone and say BRB.

28. Your teacher or boss recommends a drug test for the blood shot eyes.

29. Your answering machine/voice mail sounds a little like this...."BRB. Leave your S/N and I'll TTYL ASAP".

30. You get up at 2:00 AM to go to the bathroom and turn the computer on instead.

31. You need to be pried from your computer by the Jaws-of-life.

Why is every election a warning bell?

Why is every election a warning bell?

Has democracy failed in India?
Put that bluntly,
the answer has to be `No'.
Anarchical sure, but our democracy is still functioning. The problem is that it has developed a dangerously brittle, touch-and-go character. It has become, shall we say, failable.

The usual "estates" that sustain democracy have failed. The Executive was the first to collapse with corruption and criminality overrunning it. Parliament has become negative with parties mistaking House stalling for patriotism. The traditional First Estate is God. Even that has lost out with god-men taking the place of gods. The Fourth Estate of course has lost its credibility.

If the system still remains functional, it is because of the judiciary which is by and large intact and the Election Commission which guards its independence. The power and dependability of both were on show last week.

Consider Shibu Soren, a thug who should never have been in politics let alone in the Central Cabinet. What a commentary on Indian democracy that one of the cleanest prime ministers we have ever had is forced to take into the Cabinet this man who killed his own personal secretary; Mohammed Taslimuddin accused of murder, robbery and extortion; Ali Ashraf Fatmi charged with kidnapping and extortion; Jaiprakash Narain Yadav, of fake duplicate certificate fame; and Laloo Prasad himself.

The judiciary's best gift to democracy was the ruling that "sanction" was not necessary to prosecute public servants for corruption. For too long crooked politicians and civil servants have taken refuge under the sanction provision. Their excuse was that they were carrying out public duties and should not be obstructed in such duties.

Which of course is nonsense.

The Supreme Court has said once and for all that taking bribes is not duty. The Election Commission made its own contribution to democracy by handling this week's critical byelections with exemplary efficiency. It could not of course control the results.

Eventually deserving candidates won, but that was small consolation. In Karimnagar the Telangana flag flew high giving Chandrasekhar Rao a two-lakh plus margin. In Chamundeshwari and Thiruvambadi cliff-hanger drama ruled the roost, with the victor's margin at 257 and 246.

The future turns dark when we see how successfully Karnataka politicians ensured that every single vote was cast along caste lines. The wafer-thin difference the loser achieved through reckless caste play suggests that the same caste politics will be used to dominate elections from now on. In Kerala the tradition of incumbent governments ignoring people's interests continues. The LDF now in power is so obsessed with internal one upmanship that governance goes by default. Neither it nor the Congress-led UDF has any issue to debate. So everyone resorted to Christian-Muslim communalism with abandon.

Clearly, casteism is rapidly becoming the foundation of our electoral democracy. The seed of casteism was sown when we enshrined linguism with the linguistic reorganisation of states. Linguistic-regional bigotry and religious-caste bigotry are two sides of the same coin. Hence the link between Chandrasekhar Rao's Telangana party and Deve Gowda's JD(S). If our voters are taught to vote only by dialect, religion, caste and subcaste, then finally the devil will have taken over our democracy.

The failable will then finally fail.

SC/ST Reservation: Are we democratic.

SC/ST Reservation: Are we democratic.


The SC/ST reservation nothing more than the individual interests of the politicians before the elections. The MANDAL-II( Reservation in educational institutions), again there could be self immolation cases in protesting against the reservation, atleast the government should learn from the past (1978). Reservation should be on the basis of economic level of the studnet's family.

The protest should gain momentum in every part of india. More and more awareness should be generated among the masses through SMS, Blogs, Emails. Everbody or atleast somebody has to take the initiative and knock the doors of the government. Are we democratic, if so we have to make sure the government takes its decision back. Nearly 50% SC/ST reservation; I mean, What is this!!!

Our History tells the people of United India together can change the things, it seems to be difficult but we can make the things happen in our favour. Don't you people think!


Media is the most important medium to convey this message take the decision back. Remember Rang De Basanti. Walk to government they will take back the decision.