Maximize Your Mac Experience

If you’re a new Mac user, having recently switched over to the “Apple” from their more dominant competitor, you may have noticed that you’ve got some learning to do. There are some major differences between the two competing systems, and they extend far beyond branding. One of the cool things about Macs is the ability to set up different options immediately available by sliding the mouse into one of the four corners of the computer screen. They’re called Hot Corners. Setting them up with frequently desired options will help make your Mac experience fruitful.

 

Hot Corners Setup – Simply click on the System Preferences button, typically located in the dock upon start-up. From there, select the desktop and screen saver button. Click over to screen saver, and locate the hot corners button in the lower left of the screen. From there, select the things that you seem likely to use most often, based on your personal preferences. Fortunately, Apple provides a lot of widgets from which to choose. Some of the more popular, and useful, ones follow, but choose any that interest you!

 

Widget corner – This selection allows you to choose from many handy widgets. One widget pulls up the five day forecast for your local area in a flash. No more waiting until you hit the weather channel on tv! Another provides a calculator function. Tired of yellow stickies everywhere? Use the one on your computer to prevent losing important notes! Screen saver – scroll into a particular corner and your computer screen switches instantly to your favorite screen saver, saving your pixels.

Japan Passes Cybercriminal Law

Computers around the world have taken one step closer to accessing the Internet without fear of viruses. That’s because Japan has decided to take a hardnosed perspective at fighting cybercrime. As Japan paves the way for other developed nations, it is likely that hackers will face stiffer sentences for wreaking havoc on the Internet.

Japan Takes Cybercrimes Seriously

A vast majority of members in the Japanese House of Councillors voted to make several actions punishable by fines and prison time. Cybercriminals caught making viruses could get three years of jail time. The laws also apply to those caught sending pornographic spam.

If convicted, the new law doesn’t require cybercriminals to spend time in jail. They can opt to pay fines that are equivalent to US$6,200.

Jail Time and Fines

While this law makes it easier for officials in Japan to prosecute cybercriminals, it hardly prevents them from participating in shady activities. US$6,200, for instance, is just a small drop in the bucket for a successful hacker that knows how to access bank accounts and earn money from spam. Stiffer fines or required jail time would have made it much more risky for individuals to participate in criminal activities.

Privacy advocates also worry that that the new law could make it easier for the government to infringe upon the rights of individuals.

Still, this is definitely a step in the right direction that other countries should pay close attention to. Technology evolves more rapidly than laws, so it is the responsibility of the world’s leading governments to keep pace with changes and recognize new ways that criminals are using technology to take advantage of their victims.

What law would you pass to protect innocent Internet users from cybercriminals?

Windows Vista and Windows 7: Improvements over XP

Image representing Windows as depicted in Crun...

Image via CrunchBase

According to many industry professionals, Windows XP is still the most widely used operating system in the world. The Apple’s Mac iOS versions, Ubuntu and Linux all combined do not even approach the percentage of the market share held by Windows XP alone. Even newer versions of Windows like Visa and Windows 7 have yet to make a serious dent in the number of XP loyalists among PC owners.

This is especially surprising considering the number of improvements that both Vista and Window 7 have made over XP. For instance, the redesigned desktop seen in Vista and 7 is much improved over the traditional layout used by XP. Those icons that remain largely unused such as the ”My Computer” and ”My Network Places” icons no longer appear by default, resulting in a much cleaner appearance. Windows XP’s desktop looks hopelessly cluttered by comparison.

One of the biggest upgrades brought about over XP, first by Vista and then by 7, is the newfound ease in home networking. Sharing files, folders and peripherals is astonishingly easy compared to the bulky processes required by Windows XP. Of course, those problems still become obvious when confronted with a need to network between PCs running different versions of Windows. Those running Vista and 7 cooperate perfectly fine, but adding an XP-running machine into the mix can be rather challenging. Windows 7 also introduces a new feature called the Device Stage; networking between attached devices like your smartphone or MP3 player in order to transfer music, pictures and other files is now a breeze.

 

Making Money Your Way

With the Internet at your fingertips, it is now very easy for many people to make money in unexpected ways. You can create your own wealth by focusing specifically on what you know or do well. Then, look for a method to turn that into a profit. The good news is that many people have what they need to do well right at their fingertips already.

How to Get Started

Finding the right way to make money online is the key. Not everyone will be able to find success using the same methods. The following are ideas that can help you to find the business model that’s right for you.

  • Consider making money through affiliate marketing. If you have a bit of sales-edge in you, you may be able to make some true success happen by focusing specifically on selling the products and services of companies that need marketing help.
  • Consider online gambling. You can help promote an Online Casino, earn money from ad revenue or just play to make some money (though this method may not be the best method to make money regularly).
  • Create software or provide a service that you do well. Consider what you can create with the skills you have and sell it online.

The most important thing to remember is to share what you know and make money with it. Base your business venture on something that you know very well. You can even make money with hobbies. Consider all of your options. Then, research the information you need to get started. You want to focus on investing time in the right options.