Liked Operating System

People are very much familiar with several Operating Systems, technology and invention have been so far developed that people can as well use two or more Operating Systems in their system, day after day new new inventions are made, not only in the field of Computer but also in other fields, everyday, a new history is recorded. In Computer's, there are several Operating System, but which to use? Are you confused with this question? Well, the answer for this question depends on your needs, as per your choice, for this reason and all, i am publishing this post.



First of all,
What is an Operating System?
An Operating System is a set of programs developed by professional programmers/computer experts, which uses different types of computer hardware connected to it, to provide general function, to the user. It is most important for computer because without it, no computer application or other program can be run inside it. It acts as a communicator between user and computer hardware functions, Operating Systems are found in every computer device, from a cell phone to super computer, etc.

Some Features Of Operating System

• Kernel: It provides the most basic level of control over Computer Hardware and memory.
• Multitasking- Most of the OS come with this feature of multitasking, due to this we can do a lots of work simultaneously.
• Networking- With the help of this we can connect to all other networks over Internet.
• User-Interface- A good OS provide awesome interface to the user, which enables them to communicate with OS.
• Security- Security is mostly needed for these OS, to provide a better service to user and many more.

Operating Systems used nowadays,

Here, I am providing some of the Operating System most commonly used nowadays and are very much popular among users,

Linux: Linux is a Unix Like computer operating system. Linux runs on a variety of computer hardware, including mobile phones, televisions, supercomputer, etc. Linux is a leading server Operating System, and runs the 10 fastest computer in the world. It is a free and open source software, you an modify its source codes freely, and also redistribute it. Some Linux Os are Ubuntu, Red hat, Fedora, etc.

Microsoft Windows: Microsoft Windows is a series of Windows Operating System. This is one of the most popular Operating system among the people of this world, due to its easy handling and GUI, most of the people use this OS. It cannot be redistributed , and it is also not a open source software, you cannot modify it freely. Microsoft have also built some Operating for mobile phones, which they generally call Windows Phones. Some Windows based OS are, Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7, etc.

Mac OS: Mac OS is a type of Operating System developed by Apple Inc. This is mostly used among the people of high class computer professionals such as software engineers, etc. The whole structure of this OS is very different from other OS. Some Mac OS are Mac OS X Leopard, Mac OS X panther , etc.

Other OS are BSD, Chromium OS, etc.

For Mobile Phones,

Symbian: Symbian is a mobile operating system, for smart-phones It has many version like Symbian One, Symbian Two, Symbian Anna, etc. It's an awesome OS for mobile phones. Nokia smart-phones mostly have this Operating System.

Android: Android is a Mobile OS, for Tablet Computers and also for smart-phones, it was originally developed by some other company but, later Google purchased it. It supports many awesome features, like video calling, screen capture, tethering, etc. Some Android OS versions are Ice Cream Sandwich, Honeycomb, etc.

There are also many other mobile OS like iOS from Apple for I-Pad, I-Phone and I-Pod, webOS from HP, OS developed by Microsoft, etc.

Image comparing Mobile OS

I hope you all like this post, if you know any other Operating System which are nowadays popular, or OS which you use, post it in comment and let others know about them too.

UPnP is Vulnerable, Time to Scan Your Network Making Sure They are Unplugged

Rapid7, a security firm specializing in vulnerability management and penetration testing software, released a whitepaper detailing their research that reveals the security flaws in UPnP protocol that puts millions of network-enabled devices are at great risk, and strongly recommend people to check and disable UPnP protocol in any affected devices.

What is UPnP, exactly?

UPnP, stands for Universal Plug and Play, is a set of networking protocol that allows IP-based network devices, such as PC, printers, router, Wi-Fi access point, mobile devices, to seamlessly discover each other to establish an effortless connection for data sharing, communication, etc. If you are not familiar with the terminology, you can simply think of it similar to the term plug-and-play which basically is the technology that powers those USB devices that we all use on daily basis. Sounds pretty good, but unfortunately, it also allows things like XBoxes to place a back door that could lead to an attack by the remote intruders.

How many are affected?

UPnP protocol is enabled by default on millions of network devices, including those computers that run on Windows, Mac OS X, and many distributions of Linux. According to the research report, there are around 40-50 million devices vulnerable to this security flaw. More specifically, 81 million unique IP addresses respond to UPnP discovery requests, 20% of which can allow an attacker to target their system behind the firewall. Note that, 81 million is a number that is slightly more than all IPs allocated to Canada.

How can we tell if we are vulnerable?

Fortunately, Rapid7 also released a free scanning tool called ScanNow that targets to this UPnP check. You can scan your router or any devices on your network right from online by clicking on Scan My Router button to find out if you are immune to this threat. You can also download its portable version and run it on as many computer as you like.

If unfortunately it discovered that your router is affect to this vulnerability, you should take action now either disabling UPnP on the device or replacing with one that has UPnP disabled if disabling doesn’t seem to work.

Homeland Security continues to advise disabling Java 7 and earlier for Windows users until further notice.

This past Friday, Homeland Security discovered a vulnerability in the Oracle Java Runtime Environment (JRE) 7 that allows attackers to execute codes on the PC. Hackers are already exploiting these vulnerabilties via “explore kits,” which are readily available online for anyone to utilize. In order to protect any personal information stored on users’ computers, Homeland Security has suggested all users disable Oracle Java Runtime Environment (JRE) 7. At most risk are Windows users, however those operating Linux or OS X should also disable the software.

Java’s security issues have been of concern these past couple years, so much so that Apple removed the software’s plugins from OS X browsers. While Apple users are most likely safe, it’s still a good idea to check if Java plugins are installed. To disable the software, complete the following steps below:

1. Check to see Update 10 is installed and Internet Explorer is not running. For users that have Java 7 but not Update 10, it’s suggested to upgrade as it will be easier to disable Java.
2. Go to the Java Control Panel by going to Start/control panel and click Java.
3. Once the Java control panel appears, press security then de-select ?Enable Java content in the browser.?

Oracle did release an emergency patch, this past Sunday that did fix the exploit, however Homeland Security still urges users to keep the software disabled as attackers with enough knowledge of the Java code base and another zero day bug can still exploit the vulnerability. There are, in fact, around 50 critical Java zero-days that place billions of users at risk. While Oracle has changed the default to high, prompting users to authorize execution of of applets, there are still many severe critical security flaws. All of these security issues, including the latest, may take up to two years to completely fix.

Bittorrent Labs To Offer Insight Into New Developments

BitTorrent Inc. is set to launch a new service that will give fans of the platform an insight into upcoming and future developments, as well as giving them access to early alpha builds, should they wish to get in on the ground floor.
“Introducing BitTorrent Labs. We call it our test kitchen,” reads the BitTorrent Inc. statement. “Our playground. It?s where BitTorrent experiments live. And we?re opening it up to everyone. Because BitTorrent innovation is for everyone.”
There are several developments already available for perusal, including BitTorrent Surf, One Hash and One Click, as well as Torque projects like Beam it Over and Paddle Over. Two new “experiments,” have been announced as well, including, BitTorrent said: “Sync, a distributed personal file syncing product. It?s a pre-Alpha, and we?re calling for early user participation,” and, “BTC, a tool for command line fans. It?s a torrenting shortcut.”
Some of the alphas available via the new BitTorrent Labs have been around for a short while. We previewed BitTorrent surf – an extension that lets you download torrents from within your browser – just a few days ago

INTRODUCTION TO FIREWALLS

You have heard so many times “use firewalls to protect your computer”, in this article we are going to talk about firewalls. You may even already have a firewall management program in place. But what exactly is firewall security.

The word firewall means to a wall, which was constructed to halt the spread of a fire. In computing firewall refers to the network device which blocks certain kind of traffic by limiting the number of ports.

 Either firewall is a software based or a combination of hardware and software that are used for protecting purpose.

There are two different types of firewalls available:

1. Hardware Firewall:

A hardware based firewall is a physical device that place between your computer and the internet, it acts as a gateway to all the computer inside the network.

An example of a hardware based firewall is a broadband router. The main advantage of using hardware based firewall is that you need not to install or configure  any software because the firewall is external to the computer.

The main disadvantage is that, if your computer is mobility like your notebook than you cant use hardware based firewall.

2. Software Firewall:

A software firewall perform all the task like a hardware firewall, however software based firewalls  must be installed as a program on your computer. You can install and configure software firewall by using a dick or you can download from internet.

Software firewall has to installed on each host on the network while a hardware firewall used on the gateway of network.

Software firewalls are used for your laptop or for a single computer.

An Introduction To Encryption

Encryption is a method or a technique used to encode a message so that it can’t be read by a normal user/person. Its an art of secret writing, It can also be defined as converting information from plain text using an algorithm or a cipher to make it unreadable, So that the converted information can only be read by the person who is having the special knowledge. The process of encoding is known as Encryption and its reverse process i.e. decoding it is known as Decryption. Encryption is very useful when it comes to protecting your confidential data from being stolen. It is helpful when data is transmitted over the network, it safe guards you data from sniffers. When data is needed to be encrypted over a network, SSL Protocol is used for encryption purpose. SSL stands for Secure Socket Layer.

Types of Encryptions


Symmetrical Key : This type of encryption is also know as Shared Key Secret. In symmetrical encryption, the key which is used in the process of encryption, that same key is also used in the process of decryption. If two parties want to exchange the encrypted data securely, both of them should have the same copy of symmetric key.

Asymmetrical Key : This type of encryption is also know as Public Key. In this type of encryption, keys are generated in pairs, public key and private key. In asymmetrical encryption key used to encipher is different from the key used to decipher. Therefore the two partners have two different keys, one is made public and other one is made private. Let’s take up an example to understand the concept in an easy way.

Suppose, John wants to send a message to Mike, he just ciphers the message with the public key and sends it to Mike. Since Mike is having the secret key, he can and decipher the message and read its content.

What is: Sky Net Technology

This must be the holy grail of hacking: a cheap, do-it-yourself flying drone that can break into Wi-Fi networks and turn computers into zombies that can be controlled remotely. The coolest part for evildoers: it makes the hacking untraceable.

Technical Information:

The SkyNET drone is a modified $300 Parrot quadcopter with a Linux computer, 3G card, a GPS unit and two Wi-Fi cards.

How It works:

Controlled by a botmaster using 3G, the drone or group of drones fly over any urban area looking for Wi-FI networks. As they find them, they automatically try to break in. Once they get inside the network, it searches for personal computers that can be compromised. Any computer that falls to the attack gets turned into a zombie without the user ever knowing it.
After the infection process, the hackers can easily control the zombies remotely through the Wi-Fi drone-to-host connection. The zombies can be used to perform any attack through their internet connections, receiving commands from SkyNET but with no traceable internet ties to the hacker botmaster:
Subsequent drone flights are used to issue command and control without ever linking the botmaster to the botnet via the Internet. Reverse engineering the botnet, or enumerating the bots, does not reveal the identity of the botmaster.
It's a perfect idea. Total cost: a mere $600. Anyone can easily build a complete fleet of these.

SMS Bombers- How Most of them WOrk

A lot of people are getting annoyed by the amount of rubbish messages they are getting just because of this SMS bombing fact. In fact I have also edited some SMS bombers and have come to know certain facts about them. Mostly, researches may vary from them but you must be aware also from what I got to you today. Many internet users just pay for these SMS bombers just to annoy someone since they have some bad intentions. Lets, see how these SMS bombers work:

Top Reasons on how these SMS bombers Work:

1. Mostly Mobile Sites offer some subscription service from their websites and user just has to input his mobile number there, After that an automated confirmation message is sent to user’s cell phone. Any bad minded guy can easily exploit this easily by just tempering the page requests to the server and by understanding the mechanism on how it works to process the entered number.
2. A paid SMS bomber can also use some online SMS sending service, there are a lot paid services available which can be used to send as many texts as you want. But such SMS bombers are never free ones, Such SMS bombers can also have spoofing feature.

Thus, An SMS bomber takes the mobile number of the victim as the input and then forwards that to specific website which then send automated message to the victim’s number.
SMS bomber makes this process to repeat at a rate of thousands of time. And victim mind just blows off and he turns off his mobile.

How to prevent such SMS bombers to be fully functional:

• This part is for websites admin who offer sms services, It would be better to use some captcha as per security reasons. I know captcha can also be bypassed but still its better than nothing.
• Not more than 10 messages should be sent by the website again and again to same number. Within 24 hours, Some filtering techniques should be implemented.

Apple’s CEO Tim Cook calls Microsoft Surface ‘a compromised, confusing product’!

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Microsoft launched the ingenious Surface tablet yesterday and early reviews have emerged in favor of the compelling and exceptional hardware with a few pointing software and usability flaws within the Windows RT environment. And among the few who aren’t in favor of the Surface device is Apple’s CEO, Tim Cook. After calling Windows 8 a combination of a toaster and refrigerator, he called Surface a confusing product!

During the company’s earning call early yesterday, Tim Cook said:

I haven’t personally played with the Surface yet, but what we’re reading about it is that it’s a fairly compromised, confusing product.

In all honesty, the above statement by Tim is pretty laughable, more so when it comes from someone who hasn’t used the product, but is more than willing to lend his ‘expert opinion’. Agreed that Tim Cook is the CEO of a major software company and that he does possess sound knowledge of the software devices and their ecosystem but a Surface device cannot be gauged upon from its first looks instead as can be done with the iPad, which seemingly has the same UI since its inception. Microsoft Surface runs on Windows RT, a fresh, new operating system especially suited for tablets and touch-slates and brings along a new and exciting user experience.

Tim Cook pointed out that the ‘iPad competitor might be biting off more than it can chew’. Well as a consumer myself, I’d prefer a tablet device which does ‘more‘ for me having almost similar specifications/dimensions than its competitor. Here, Surface not just does ‘more’ for the consumer but it does it in a fresh new way armed with the Modern UI.

According to Tim:

I suppose you could design a car that flies and floats, but I don’t think it would do all of those things very well. I think people when they look at the offerings will really want an iPad.

Not really!

An iPad was indeed a revolutionary device when introduced but it isn’t the same in the present scenario where we have a new iPad launching every six months and Apple announcing no support for the earlier versions. That’s almost like asking consumers for their hard-earned money and later throwing back a sign at their face which reads ‘YOU ARE OUTDATED’. Not good at all.

And given the recent gaffes which went Apple’s way, including the disastrous Apple Maps introduced with iOS6, the consumer’s perception towards Apple has changed significantly.

No one would want to buy a ‘new iPad’ or whatever the naming convention they follow, only to see a new version with little modifications emerge within few months.

The highest rated comment on CNET on an iPad-launch related article was by an Angry iPad owner – “To Apple: Thanks for making my ‘new iPad’ obsolete”. No one would also want to search for a place in Brazil and be directed to head over to Russia (Apple Maps)… except die-hard Apple fans.

As far as Surface is concerned, it’s definitely worth a try, if not a buy. But use it for a few minutes and you’ll want to take the beauty home! As for Tim Cook, if you are reading this, please do search for the hashtag #surfaceflyingcar on Twitter. You might do your day with some amazing hilarious responses!

Reminds me of a quote by Mahatma Gandhi – First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win!

If you have liked this post, you might want to check out some more, on topics like Apple,Surface.

Download Windows 8 For Dummies – Free eBook from Dell

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So you say Windows 8 has got you flustered! Really? Apart from the start screen, what is really so different in it as compared to Windows 7? Sure I agree the start screen does fly in your face when you don’t want it to and it may get some time getting used to, but in a week or so, when you have got used to it, you may actually even start (gulp) liking it. Nevertheless, if there are some of you or your friends, who have made the switch to Windows 8, and need some help, the Windows 8 for Dummies is  a great eBook. It is now available as a free download from Dell.

This Dell Pocket Edition has been authored by Andy Rathbone who has written many a ‘- for Dummies’ books and is a 12 MB download. I would have liked to see a few more   illustrations where there were required, but hey – it’s free so can’t really complain!.

The content includes:

• The New Start Screen
• What’s New in Windows 8?
• The Traditional Desktop
• Storage: Internal & External
• SkyDrive: Your Cubbyhole in the Clouds
• Working with Apps
• Engaging the Social Apps
• Chatting through Messaging
• Getting Connected and Having Fun
• Ten Things You’ll Hate about Windows 8 (And How to Fix Them)

To be able to avail of this free download offer, you will be required to register at the Dell website and give your email ID. I think it’s a worthy download – one you definitely want to keep handy, when you start using Windows 8.

Hat tip.

If you have liked this post, you might want to check out some more, on topics like eBook,Resources.

Windows 8 Released, Here are 7 Things for You to Start with

After over a year of buzzing around, Windows 8 officially released to the public today on October 26, 2012. For those who like us having been closely following around, Windows 8 isn’t a new thing anymore. But for the majority people out there, Windows 8 is still a undiscovered land full of secrets waiting to be found. So we compiled a list of 7 FAQs that will help the starters to get their foot on this thing easily, quickly, and correctly.

First thing first, how many editions in Windows 7?

Microsoft decided to make things easier for everyone this time. There are only 3 choices, plus one specifically for Enterprise. Out of this 3 choices, Windows 8 is the most basic version that is mostly for the majority consumer users, Windows 8 Pro, on the other hand, has a computer version that is made for all computer power users who want to explorer more power of the Windows, while Windows RT, a limited version of Windows built on ARM process, is made exclusively for tablets.
It’s pretty clear, and straightforward, isn’t it.

What are the upgrade options?

Here is a post explaining fairly well with a visual chart for all Windows 8 upgrade path.

From now until January 31, 2013, you can order an upgrade version of Windows 8 Pro for only $39.99. And you can do so by downloading an upgrade package right from Windows 8 website. It’s a good deal. Don’t miss it.

Is my computer ok to run Windows 8?

Windows 8 has the exact same hardware prerequisite as Windows 7. So the rule of the thumb is that if your PC is capable of running Windows 7, it will have any issue running Windows 8. However, if you want to see if your computer is capable of upgrading from the current version of Windows you are running, here is a standalone Windows 8 Upgrade Assistant (direct download link) from Microsoft that you can run to find out.

Is there a trial version of Windows 8 to try out?

Unfortunately, I am not aware of Microsoft having this option available. However, the 90-trial Windows 8 Enterprise is still available. Since it’s the RTM version that is not far from the final release, it’s as close as you can get your hands on a Windows 8 system.
While we are still on the topic of talking about trying out Windows 8, I have to mention 4 best ways of trying out Windows 8 that will definitely help you greatly.

What is the best way to dual boot Windows 8 and Windows 7?

If you are installing Windows 8 Pro, the best way of dual-booting Windows 8 side by side with your Windows 7 is the Native VHD Dual Boot that doesn’t require a separate hard drive or partition with the whole system wrapped up in a single VHD file.
However, if you are installing just the Windows 8 which doesn’t support Native VHD boot, the only option for you is to make another partition or hard drive and load the system on it.

Do I need a Windows Account?

You don’t have to have it in order to run Windows 8. However, to make the most out of it, it’s best you have a Windows Account that you can use in Windows 8 to take advantage of all integrated services, like SkyDrive, data sync, mail, people, Windows Store, etc..  The Windows Account you are using will also let you easily manage all your devices you use.

Keyboard shortcuts to rescue

Windows 8 is a touch-device oriented system. Because of this, it feels different if you use it the first time. You could get lost if you are only using your keyboard and mouse. To make the best use of it, here are 13 keyboard shortcuts you definitely need to know and get use to them. You are going to love them whether you are using Windows 8 on a touchable device or not. On top of that, here is a cheat sheet that maps Windows 8 keyboard shortcuts and mouse to the touch equivalents.

Anything else I should be aware of?

Yes, actually there are a lot tips, tricks, tweaks that make Windows 8 better. But we will save these for next time. The above FAQs are good enough to make you comfortable heading into the way Windows 8 is leading you.

REXOFCYBER explain: What Are Thumbs or Thumbs.db Files in Windows?

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Ever came across this message while deleting a folder containing image files, “The file Thumbs is a system file. If you remove it, Windows or another program may no longer work correctly. Are you sure you want to permanently delete it?”

While most of us give it a go without any second thought, many might wonder what this Thumbs related message is all about and whether or not they should delete it. Also, an average computer user might ask himself on seeing such a message, “Where did this come from? Is it a virus? Is my machine infected?”..valid questions. Read on to find out the answers.

What are Thumbs.db Files?

One thing is definite that Thumbs.db is a system file. It is not a virus by any chance and you should not worry on that front. Well, mostly it is not (exceptions may occur).

Bonus Tip: Some more system related information for you: What is the Svchost.exe process and why are so many of it running?

The file is a caching mechanism and is used to store thumbnails of images, graphics files, some documents and movies. Such a file is created automatically for each folder if it is enabled to show the contents in thumbnail view.

Why are Thumbs.db Created?

The intention behind such files is to avoid wastage of CPU cycles and prevent intensive usage of the disk whenever a folder with thumbnail contents has to load. That way the machine can simply retrieve required data from the cache.
It is all about performance. Though it may not matter for low sized folders it makes a difference for huge ones. Imagine a folder with thousand odd image files and the time taken to render the thumbnails each time.

Where to Find Thumbs.db Files?

On Windows XP thumbs.db is created on each directory that requires it. On higher versions they switched to a central repository: C:\Users\UserProfile\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer. For instance, shown below is the list of such files on my machine.

If you still do not see them you may want to navigate to Folder Options and activate the setting to display hidden files, folders, or drives and also the one for system files.

Can I Deactivate Thumbs.db?

You can get rid of such files by doing some registry hacks (but we do not intend to discuss that here). However, if you do not want such a file to be created then you can choose not to display thumbnails.
And to ensure that, navigate to Explorer Tools -> Folder Options. On the dialog box switch to View tab and tick mark the option reading, Always show icons, never thumbnails. Then, click on Apply and Ok.

Post that you may delete the existing thumbs.db files and they will never be created again (unless you change the setting).

Should I Deactivate?

I suggest you should not deactivate because that would mean slow responses and higher disk/CPU utilization for all thumbnail views. However, if the space they occupy is a worry for you and/or you are not concerned about the performance then you may go ahead.

Conclusion

I hope we have answered all your questions regarding thumbs.db files. If we have missed any or if you have something specific in mind, tell us in the comments section. We will try our best to address them.

Zemanta: Your Personal Blogging Assistant For Socially Discovering Related Content

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It works on most browsers and blogging platforms, making it practically universal – perfect for bloggers.

The Idea Behind Zemanta

Zemanta is simply a company that is about social blogging. Isn’t blogging social already? Well, kind of. However, Zemanta strives to connect you, the blogger, with similar bloggers and a larger audience who are interested in the same topics that you write about. For example, let’s say you have a food blog where you post about creative recipes that you have recently tried. You want an audience who is interested in the same thing right? Of course – that’s what every blogger wants. And you want to connect with other bloggers and writers who enjoy sharing similar information and content right? Again, of course. Zemanta assists you with this, enhancing the social aspect of blogging even more.

How Zemanta Helps You, The Blogger

As I said above, Zemanta is all about assisting you, the blogger in connecting with others who wish to read or share about similar topics. There are several ways they accomplish this; through providing links to related articles, suggesting images, providing links to keywords within your article, suggesting tags, and by enhancing the social connection between you and others with the same interest.

Versatile across blogging platforms and browsers

As the image above states, once you’ve installed Zemanta it will automatically load on blogging platforms including WordPress, Blogger, Tumblr, TypePad, Posterous, Movable Type, and Drupal. As far as browser support goes, it supports Mozilla Firefox, Internet Explorer, Google Chrome, and Safari. Note that the actual name of the extension varies some from browser to browser. In Firefox it is called “Blogger’s Personal Assistant,” while in Chrome and IE it is called “Related Content.” In Safari it is simply called “Zemanta.”
If you would rather not use a browser extension, there is also a bookmarklet available, which I actually mentioned in a previous article on MakeUseOf.

Provides resources through related articles

Adding related articles into your blog post is a great idea for a couple reasons. For one, it provides your readers with more diverse information and shows them that you aren’t only interested in them reading your blog, but you also want them to read great content elsewhere too. Secondly, it makes fellow bloggers of those blogs happy that you’re directing traffic their way. Because of this, it could very well result in a relationship with that blogger and they might just link back to you later on.
Below is what it looks like in your dashboard (screenshot taken in WordPress)

Below is what it might look like on your blog:

Suggests images similar to your content

Adding images to blog posts can be a daunting task. First you have to find an appropriate image. Then you have to make sure that it’s under the rights that make it appropriate for you to use. Zemanta takes care of these worries by displaying relevant images.
Also, there are several options you have when embedding an image into your blog post.

Below is the finished product. As you can see the embedded image includes the source.

Easily link in-text keywords to outside sources

Although linking to articles is great, sometimes simply linking to a keyword or several at a time works better. It allows the reader to explore more on that linked topic that may not even be the exact topic of your blog post. For example, in the article on my personal website about creating a personal website, I may want to link to Wikipedia to give more information about what a domain name is. This allows me to stay on topic while still providing information to my readers which they might find relevant personally.

This is how it appears when a reader is viewing your blog post:

Stronger SEO through tag suggestions

I’m personally not an expert on search engine optimization (SEO), however I do understand the important of tagging your posts and the affect it has on results in search engines. I don’t think you really need to know the technical aspect to realize that it has importance in getting your blog out there.
That said, sometimes we simply aren’t sure what tags to type, or don’t want to take the time to type them all out. Zemanta displays tags that you might want to associate your post with, then leaves it up to you whether you want to include them or not. You simply add them by clicking on them.

Sign Up And Reap Even More Benefits

To use Zemanta, you don’t need an account. However, I’ve found it very beneficial to have one – plus, there’s really no reason not to. Having an account allows you to add your own blogs and image accounts to your Zemanta profile. This allows you to find and link to not only your own past posts and photos, but it also means your blogs and posts will be indexed in Zemanta’s database making them more likely to be found and promoted by other bloggers that are similar to you.
Zemanta will also notify you when your blog is linked to. In addition, you can also link your Amazon Affiliate ID with Zemanta. There are a plethora of other options available as well.

Credit Card Numbers Are Not Random: How To Read & Understand Them Yourself

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You may have heard before that credit card numbers follow a certain pattern and structure so that they can be validated before a transaction is accepted. However, it’s one thing to know that the structure is there and another thing entirely to understand how credit card numbers work.
Why would this knowledge be useful? Well, if you run a small business that doesn’t process credit card payments immediately, you could save yourself money by ensuring the card details are valid. If you don’t, well it could still be fun to show off your skills at parties. Here’s how you do it.

Learning Where The Numbers Come From

Credit card numbers are not random. There’s a special set of numbers to show information about the card issuer and another set to show information about the card holder. One other number is also important, but we’ll come to that later.
The very first number is the Major Industry Identifier (MII) and it tells you what sort of institution issued the card.

• 1 and 2 are issued by airlines.
• 3 is issued by travel and entertainment.
• 4 and 5 are issued by banking and financial institutions.
• 6 is issued by merchandising and banking.
• 7 is issued by petroleum companies.
• 8 is issued by telecommunications companies.
• 9 is issued by national assignment.

The first six digits are the Issuer Identification Number (IIN). These can be used to look up where the card originated from. If you have access to a list that details who owns each IIN, such as this list of popular IINs on Wikipedia, you can see who issued the card just by reading the card number.
Here’s a few you might recognise:

• Visa: 4*****
• American Express (AMEX): 34**** or 37****
• Diner’s Club International: 36****
• Mastercard: 51**** to 55****

The seventh digit to the second-to-last digit is the customer account number. Most companies use just 9 digits for the account numbers, but it’s possible to use up to 12. This means that using the current algorithm for credit cards, the world can issue about a trillion cards before needing to change the system.

We often see 16-digit credit card numbers today, but it’s possible for a card issuer to issue a card with up to 19 digits using the current system. In the future, we may see longer numbers becoming more common.
The very last digit of each credit card is the check digit, or checksum. It is used to validate the credit card number using the Luhn algorithm, which we will now explain in detail.

The Luhn Algorithm Validation Check

The Luhn Algorithm is used to validate all sorts of numbers, including credit cards, IMEI numbers and some social security numbers. It’s not designed to be a cryptographically secure hash function, but merely a way to check errors are not made when recording numbers. It is not foolproof, but is generally considered to be useful.
Take the credit card number and read the digits from the right. Double every other number and write them down – if you do it in the same order as your card is written it will help with clarity. Now, wherever you have calculated a double-digit number, change it so that it reads as “first digit + second digit” (in other words, sum the digits of the products). Finally, take your calculations and add those numbers to the numbers remaining on your card that you didn’t double. A legitimate credit card number will give you a result that is divisible by 10.
For instance, let’s use a number I’ve just made up: 4634 8932 1298 2767. I’ll enter it into a table to make it easier to understand the steps.

Try it yourself using the card from the picture earlier in this article. What can you learn from it?