Monday, March 16, 2009
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Windows 7 Preview


Windows 7 (formerly codenamed Blackcomb and Vienna)
will be the next release of Microsoft Windows, an operating system produced by Microsoftpersonal computers, including home and business desktops, laptops, Tablet PCs, netbooks[1] and media center PCs.[2] Microsoft stated in 2007 they were planning Windows 7 development for a three-year time frame starting after the release of its predecessor, Windows Vista. Microsoft has stated that the final release date would be determined by product quality.[3] for use on
Unlike its predecessor, Windows 7 is intended to be an incremental upgrade from Vista, with the goal of being fully compatible with device drivers, applications, and hardware with which Windows Vista is already compatible.[4] Presentations given by the company in 2008 have focused on multi-touch support, a redesigned Windows Shell with a new taskbar, a home networking system called HomeGroup,[5] and performance improvements. Some applications that have been included with prior releases of Microsoft Windows, most notably Windows Movie Maker, and Windows Photo Gallery, are no longer included with the operating system; they are instead offered separately (free of charge) as part of the Windows Live Essentials suite.[6]
Windows 7 | |
Part of the Microsoft Windows family | |
Windows 7 Beta | |
Developer | |
---|---|
Microsoft | |
Website | http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/Windows7/Home/ |
Releases | |
Preview version | 6.1.7000 (2009-01-7; 67 days ago) (info) |
Source model | Closed source |
License | Microsoft EULA |
Kernel type | Hybrid |
Update method | Windows Update |
Platform support | x86, x86-64 |
Further reading | |
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Computer Education

CompEd2009xl

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Build Computers:Choosing a Sound Card
All modern sound cards are capable of playing back CD quality audio (technically speaking, digital data stored in stereo at 16-bit/44.1KHz). However, sound cards are by no means all equal. The first important distinction is the number of audio outputs that they carry. Older sound cards have just a stereo line out - usually mini-jack socket on the spine of the card. All you need to do is connect this to the input sockets on an amplifier or amplified speakers and you're away. This is fine and dandy for playing back stereo music, but there are many more sonic avenues opened if your sound card has two stereo outputs in the form of two mini-jacks. This opens up the world of so-called 'Surround Sound'.
The idea is simple. You place two speakers in front of you, and two speakers behind. In this way, you can be 'surrounded' by sound. Audio is no longer limited to a stereo plane in front of you - sounds can now be delivered within a 360 degree horizontal plane.
The most obvious application of this is for games - just what we're interested in. If a monster is behind you, the first clue you'll get is the sound of his slavering chops emanating from the rear speakers. Turn round on screen, and the sound will pop round the 360 degree plane to appear in the front speakers.
But the ability of sound cards to enhance otherwise uncolored sound doesn't end there. Creative Labs, progenitor of the ubiquitous SoundBlaster series, has developed a new API (Application Programming Interface) called EAX (Environmental Audio eXtensions). This models the way sound changes depending on its environment: for example, a sound reverberating in a metal tube will sound different from the same noise in a cavern. EAX allows programmers to specify details about the environment that modify the audio outputted by the sound card.
SOUND IN 3DThere are a few other considerations you may need to take into account if blasting aliens is on your agenda. Modern sound cards support what is known as '3D audio'. Without going into too much technical detail, there are a number of APIs (of which the lowest common denominator DirectSound 3D is built into Microsoft's DirectX drivers) that allow programmers to work with directional sound in extremely complex ways. By measuring how the human ear 'filters' sound that comes at us in three dimensions, complex algorithms can be brought to bear in real time that imitate these subtle differences in sound. Game developers can now place sounds horizontally and vertically in full 360 degrees and the API modifies them such that our ear correctly predicts their position. This is even possible with just two speakers, particularly headphones - after all, we have only two ears - though the results are far, far better with four speaker systems.
Many sound cards now have additional outputs besides the front and rear speaker pairs, specifically one for a subwoofer signal and another for the so-called 'centre' speaker. This configuration, known as 5.1 audio (five normal channels plus one subwoofer low frequency channel) is primarily aimed at home cinema fans - with suitable software, your PC can decode full Dolby Digital soundtracks. However, you can usually configure such setups to output to just front and rear speakers, ignoring the centre channel, and additionally using the subwoofer for low frequency in game audio - listen to those explosions rumble!
Build Computers Steps
Step 1: Inspect Your Case
Step 2: Inspect Your Motherboard
Step 3: Install the Processor and Heat Sink/Fan
Step 4: Install Memory
Step 5: Install Internal Drives
Step 6: Install Motherboard in Computer Case
Step 7: Connect Front Panel Switches/LEDs/Speaker
Step 8: Connect Power Supply Cable to Motherboard
Step 9: Install Video Card
Step 10: Install Sound Card
Step 11: Connect Peripheral to Back Pane
Step 12: Post Assembly Check
Step 13: Configure Motherboard Bios-Build Computers
Step 14: Test Boot Your Computer System-Build Computers
Step 15: Partition and Format Hard Drive-Build Computers
Build Computers Step 16: Install Operating System-Build Computers
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