Archive for the 'Software For Life' Category

Chinese Input - Step by Step Instruction on How to Input Chinese Characters in English Windows XP

Enabling Chinese input is quick and easy, there are only a few steps you need go through to install the Chinese Language support and input method before you can type Chinese in your word processor or other program.

We have broken the steps to 3 different sections for your easier to read and follow. The steps are written based on Windows XP, and the configuration is similar with other version of Microsoft Operating systems.

Step I - Install East Asian Languages

Depending on the selections you choose when installing Windows XP, you may or may not have East Asian Languages installed. Follow these steps to check whether or not your computer supports East Asian languages.

* From Start -> Settings -> Control Panel

* Double-click Regional and Language Options

* Click on the Languages tab

- If “Install files for East Asian languages” under “Supplemental language support” section is checked, then you can skip to the step II.

- If the box is NOT checked, you need check on the box of “Install files for East Asian Languages”, then click Apply button to do the install.

You may need your Windows XP CD. Installing these files will allow you to use Chinese, Japanese, and Korean in your computer

Step II - Add Services for Typing Chinese

* After East Asian Languages pack is installed, click “Details” button under the Languages tab of Regional and Language Options.

* On the Settings tab of the new window, Click Add.

* In the “Input language” list, select Chinese (Taiwan) for traditional Chinese characters or Chinese (PRC) for simplified characters. You can add other input languages as well

* To install Chinese Pinyin Input Method
In the same window, from the “Keyboard Layout/IME” list, select Chinese (PRC)- Chinese (Simplified) - Microsoft Pinyin IME 3.0

* Click Apply

After this step, your settings configuration should look like the screen shot displayed on this page: http://www.learn-chinese-language-online.com/Chinese-input.html

Step III - Use Your Keyboard to Type Chinese Characters

After installing East Asian support and adding services for Chinese, you are ready to input Chinese into your word-processor or email programs.

* On your Toolbar at the right hand side, you should see a language bar, letters “EN” for English, “CH” for Chinese

* Click this button to change languages or use ALT+SHIFT key combination to switch between languages.

- By switching to the Chinese setting, you can now type Chinese characters in most software applications and browses using Pinyin and accent numbers(1-4).

- Use the ARROW KEYS to toggle between characters until you find the character you need.

- To temporarily switch between typing Chinese and English, you can simply press the SHIFT key on your keyboard.

And that’s it! You’re ready to work on Chinese now!

Later on when you learn about new Chinese input method, you can add other Keyboard Layout/IME options, e.g. Chinese(Simplified) - Neima, Chinese(Simplified) - Quanpin, Chinese(Simplifed) - Shuangpin, etc.

Rosie From Learn Chinese Language Online (http://www.learn-chinese-language-online.com)

The goal of Learn Chinese Language Online (LCLO) is to reduce the Mandarin Learning curve, promote and introduce the most efficient way to grasp the broad foundation of Chinese language.

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Should I Use Windows Update?

Should one use Windows Update?

This topic has good and valid arguments on both sides. Some would say keeping your windows up to date is essential in keeping it free of the newest, worst viruses and the like. Others would say that updating your windows is overemphasized, unneeded and a waste of time.

In the future, Microsoft will have ways of detecting whether your version of windows is actually store-bought, or pirated. With so many copies of pirated windows on the market, such a move by Microsoft is almost required in order to continue cornering the OS market. For instance, when SP 1 (and 2) came out, you had to have an authentic windows serial code in order to download the update. There are of course ways of getting around this, but it deterred much illegal upgrading to the new service packs. Had you have had a pirated copy of windows (and the majority does), then you could have downloaded a copy of windows SP 1/2, but you would have had to completely re-install and possibly format in order to install it.

If you had an original windows serial code that came with the product, you could have just downloaded the packs from the windows update servers.

So yes, having a non-pirated copy of windows is a convenience. However, some would remember a stunning virus that was released not too long ago; MyDoom. It managed to find its ways onto the Microsoft windows update servers. When you got the virus, you would have 30 seconds before the computer shut down. Should you have formatted, just to re-install windows with automatic updates turned on (and they are by default) you would get the virus again.

And not to mention Windows Updates are a large time factor. Some updates (especially the first time you use Windows Update) are colossal, and the download speeds are not always at their greatest. Someone on 56k would have a very hard time using windows update at all (and if you do, I recommend not bothering).

Now, you ask, what exactly is Windows Update? It’s simply Microsoft engineers working hard to fix bugs, problems and backdoors in Windows. What are these problems, you ask? Well, when Microsoft released windows it wasn’t exactly a perfect OS. With every version of Windows, it becomes more and more hi-tech. But there has always been problems with Windows being insecure.

The only way to find that Windows has a certain vulnerability is first for that vulnerability to be exploited. Eg, Microsoft using white hat hackers (the good guys) to breach windows, or for a hacker to break into a version of Windows and it is reported.

So, to answer the question, is it important to update your windows? It’s hard to say, without the answer being a biased opinion. I will give both sides of the argument merit, but it honestly depends on what you want to do with your PC. For large businesses with intranets, windows updates are likely a good idea. It only takes one serious OS fault for a hacker or a bad virus to leak in and infect the whole network. Windows faults and security issues, IE backdoors, etc. Windows update constantly has fixes for these problems.

For a home desktop, even for a home network, windows updates really aren’t that important. No one wants to hack the small guy; there is nothing to gain from it. Should you use a simple firewall, even the windows in-house firewall, you are protected from most threats. But big business is always at risk; major websites are constantly under the gun from DoS attacks and IE “tricks.” Windows Updates cannot really help DoS attacks, but they can prevent hackers, crackers, viruses and the like from entering their network computers from faults in the windows code.

So to answer the question - should I use windows update? If you’ve got a lot of infrastructure you want to protect, yes. If you’re a small guy, one PC at home, one laptop; even a few computers thrown together in your home network. The answer is no. I don’t recommend it, anyway. Just throw on your windows firewall, Black Ice Defender, Norton, Avast….what have you. And enjoy browsing. That’s about it.

I am a young, aspiring computer engineer into Internet Marketing, hardware, software, web design, SEO and just about anything related to computers. Please come check out my growing PC forum at http://www.markspcforum.com

Hubris - Definition: Microsoft’s Passport

Before September of 1995, Microsoft ignored the Internet because their 16-bit Windows 3.1 operating system couldn’t handle the 32-bit Internet world. With the introduction of Windows 95, Microsoft decided they owned the Internet.

Instead of having separate accounts at dozens of websites, Microsoft decided that you will have one master account that you will use to log in everywhere. That account will contain your credit card number, bank account numbers, all your personal information and financial records, and Microsoft will own that account.

Well, Microsoft IS the United State’s government condoned monopoly, so 200 million Internet users, and 100 major web companies dutifully signed up for Microsoft’s Passport wallet service.

In 1999, Internet authorities discovered Microsoft’s passport service had numerous security holes, and hackers could steal your personal information. In 2001, the Federal Trade Commission admonished Microsoft for not adhering to their own privacy policy. In 2003, Microsoft purged all the financial records from its Passport servers.

Millions of users continue to sign up for Passport because of the convenience it offers. Nearly 100 websites use Passport as their authentication method. Users don’t need to remember separate usernames and passwords for each website. They can log in to all of them using a single email address. Some of the websites let you register without a Passport accont, but others, especially Microsoft owned websites, require you to have a Passport account.

If you sign up for Microsoft Network (MSN) or for a free Hotmail email account, you will be forced to sign up for Microsoft’s Passport wallet service. You can sign up for a Passport account with a non-Microsoft email account at Microsoft’s Passport website.

To sign up, you need only an email address and a password. After you sign up, you can choose to add personal information to your profile. Then you can indicate if you want to share your information with companies that use Passport. If you choose to share your personal information, be aware that Microsoft shares it with every passport website you visit, and those websites are not required to adhere to Microsoft’s privacy policy.

The Internet does not need a master account repository for users personal information. Users don’t need to remember separate usernames and passwords for each website. Every Internet user has memorized two or three different email addresses and half a dozen different passwords that they use everywhere.

If an Internet master account repositiory is desired, it should NOT be owned or operated by Microsoft. A repository of personal account information must be operated by an honest, independant company.

Note: In April 2000, U.S. District Judge Thomas Penfield Jackson ruled that Microsoft violated two sections of the 1890 Sherman Act. He concluded that Microsoft was an illegal monopoly that used anti-competitive means to maintain its dominance in Intel-based operating systems.

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C++ Tutorial 1, Introduction to C++

Introduction to C++

Why Learn C++?

C++ may at first seem like a boring, confusing programming language that you can only program command prompt applications with. Well, that is what it is like in the [b]begining[/b]. And you are going to need to learn the basics like this with any programming language. As you get better and progress in your C++ skills, you will begin to learn that you can start making some cool applications easier than you thought you could. The main reason to learn C++ though, is that it teaches all the basics of programming and you will learn concepts that will be used in other types of programming. Many other programming languages are like C++ or use C++. For example, PHP, a powerful web development language uses almost the same syntaxes as C++. DirectX, a common game development graphics library primarily uses C++.

Setting up C++

Ill assume that most people are not going to want to spend the money for a compiler, thats fine, there are many great free compilers. I use Dev-C++ because it has some nice features and is fast, and best of all, its FREE!

http://www.bloodshed.net/dev/devcpp.html

You can download it here.Download it and install it, this step is pretty easy. During instillation, select all the deafult values during instillation.

Create a New Project:
Go to the top menu: File -> New -> Source File, or just press Ctrl+N

You should now have a text document. Then, write the following text in the document:

#include

using namespace std;


int main()
{

cout<<"Hello World!";

cin.get();
}


I would suggest typing it instead of copying it, you will get alot more out of actually typing it rather than copying it, because you get used to the syntaxes and development.

Run the Application:
Now that you have your first C++ Application, [b]Press F9 [/b] to compile and run it. If you did everything right, it should open a command prompt like application and say ‘Hello World’ or whatever you told it to say. If it doesnt, look over the code and make sure everything is correct.

Code Analysis

#include
Tells the compiler that we are going to be using the iostream library, which includes information on things we will be using in the code.

using namespace std;
Saves time by telling the compiler that we are going to be using the ’std::’ functions, which stands for ’standard’.

int main()
Starts the main function, this is were the heart of the program is. I will get into what functions are later on.

{
Starts the main function.

cout<<"Hello World!";[/code]
Writes "Hello World!" to the screen. cout stands for 'console output.'

cin.get();[/code]
Gets a variable from the user, we wont really be using this, but it is what will keep our application from being closed really quick.

}
Closes our main function.

Analysis:
Now that we have made a simple C++ Application, we will start getting into more advanced topics so you can start making useful applications.

Chris Silop - http://www.syschat.com Computer Forum