Anyone trying to run a business knows the cost of software can be exorbitant. It doesn't have to be. Free business software is abundant on the Internet, if you know how and where to find it. Here are some steps to follow that will help you find the free business software you need.
Instructions
Evaluate your business software needs before beginning your search. The types of programs you are looking for will dictate your investigation.
Check that any free software program provides technical support via a toll-free number or online, features updates and offers the necessary tools to run the software.
Ensure any free business software is compatible with your operating system and other programs you are using before installing.
Visit websites, such as OpenOffice.org, for a free office suite program similar to Microsoft Office. This software offers word processing, spreadsheet and presentation capabilities and drawing functionality.
Look for free accounting/finance software at websites, such as FreewareHome.com. This site offers products ranging from beginner bookkeeping to budgeting for small and medium-sized businesses.
Search websites, such as cnet.com or freebyte.com, to download a wide range of free business software.
Read user reviews, computer magazines, consumer reports and vendor websites to learn about products you are interested in. Users offer hands-on evaluations and generally do not have product loyalty.
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Troubleshoot the Microsoft Access 2003 Software ?
Microsoft Access 2003 is a database management system that is a component of the Microsoft Office Professional 2003 application suite. There are several problems including opening and saving files, database operations, and printing that can occur while working with Access. Many problems can be resolved by following a sequence of steps to troubleshoot the software. A contact to the Microsoft Access technical support staff is the final step if you are unable to resolve the problem on your own.
Instructions
Check your computer's configuration to ensure that your system has adequate resources to run Microsoft Access 2003. Access 2003 requires Windows 2000, Windows XP, XP Professional, or the Vista operating system. Microsoft suggests a minimum of 128 MB of RAM running on a Pentium-233 or faster processor. Normal installations require a minimum of 20 GB of free hard disk space. Make adjustments to your computer if needed to ensure that it meets the system requirements.
Click "Help" - "Activate Product", and enter your software product key using the activation link on the Internet. You must register and activate your software as a prerequisite for downloading updates and obtaining formal technical support from Microsoft if it is needed. Click "Help" - "Check for Updates" to download and install the latest updates for Access 2003. Check the Microsoft support web site for updates to Microsoft Office 2003 and your Windows operating system to ensure that these software files are also up to date.
Click "Help" - "Microsoft Office Access Help", and enter the word "troubleshoot" in the search bar on the right panel of your screen. Browse the list of common problems and resolutions to see if your problem is documented and follow the recommendation for resolution if provided. If your problem is not listed, re-start your computer and run Microsoft Access without any other software programs running. Record any error messages you receive and note any other software programs that were running during the error.
Search the Microsoft support web site for any information related to the specific error messages that you received, or software applications that you were running when the problem occurred. Click "Help" - "Contact Us" to contact Microsoft support directly if you cannot find a resolution documented on the Microsoft web site. Technical support options include email, telephone and on line chat.
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Reasons for Updating an Antivirus Protection Software
Malicious software or "malware" can take various forms such as viruses, spyware and keystroke loggers. Malware can cause a variety of problems ranging from annoyances such as popup ads to serious issues such as loss of data or hardware damage. Antivirus software is designed to detect and remove malware from your computer and also ensure that your computer does not become infected in the first place. However, your antivirus software must be kept up to date to ensure continuous protection for your computer.
Continuous Protection
The most important reason to update antivirus software is to ensure that your computer is continuously protected against viruses, spyware and other malware. New viruses are unleashed on the Internet every day and antivirus software developers must frequently update their products to recognize these new threats. A library of "virus definitions" containing data used to detect known viruses must be be updated frequently. Sometimes new virus definitions are released several times a month or even several times a week. If your antivirus program does not have these updates, it will not be able to protect your computer against newly discovered threats. Because updates are so important, most antivirus programs make it very easy to download these files. Some programs even download and install updates automatically.
Program Improvements
Another reason to download antivirus program updates is to upgrade the software with the latest bug fixes and enhancements. User feedback and testing may lead software developers to make changes or improvements to the user interface or the underlying program code. In some cases, updates may offer new features which were not available in older versions of the program. Updates may also improve program efficiency and add new functionality such as popup blocking, spam blocking, Web link scanning.
Technical Support
Software companies typically provide technical support for the most current versions of their software. Updating to the current version will make it easier for you to obtain technical support or other assistance with your antivirus software if you need it. Some software publishers do not provide any support for older versions of their products, so if you have a problem, you must resolve it on your own.
Compatibility
Antivirus updates can improve program compatibility and eliminate known bugs in the program code. Software publishers are often unaware of these issues until after a product has been released to the public on a wide scale and users begin reporting problems. Software can be optimized and refined to increase compatibility and reduce programmatic errors.
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Useful Computer Troubleshooting Software
With any computer, you will inevitably encounter software or hardware issues that require troubleshooting to correct. Unless you have extensive computer knowledge, pinpointing the exact cause of computer problems can be difficult without software utilities that can diagnose and fix whatever problems that may arise. There are numerous useful tools and utilities that can help simplify the troubleshooting process and get you on track to solving common computer problems.
Diagnosis
The most important aspect of troubleshooting your computer is understanding where the problem is originating. There are a number of programs that provide full system profiles of your computer, including information about the functionality of software and hardware components. Look in my PC and System Information for Windows (see "Resources") can generate a report detailing the technical specifications of your system, the current status of hardware and software and make troubleshooting recommendations. Moreover, these applications provide you with all the details of your computer in case you need to depend on technical support from the manufacturer.
Anti-Virus
It may be common sense, but an effective anti-virus program is one of the most important computer troubleshooting tools around. There are a wide variety of free and paid anti-virus programs that can be employed to scan for security issues that may be causing your computer to malfunction. Among the free options, Microsoft's own Security Essentials (see "Resources") is one of the best rated and most comprehensive programs available. Microsoft also provides a comprehensive list of third-party anti-virus programs on their website (see "Resources").
Software Maintenance
Many computer issues can be solved with some simple software maintenance. Removing unneeded files, disk defragmentation and managing the start-up program list can go a long way in speeding up your computer. Piriform Software is the maker of two of the most popular software maintenance programs that address these three troubleshooting areas (see "Resources"). CCleaner can easily clean your computer of unneeded files and remove unnecessary start-up items while Defraggler provides a quick and effective disk-defragmentation utility.
Screen Sharing
In the end, it may be necessary to turn to outside help to solve your computer problems. One of the handiest utilities to have in your troubleshooting toolbox is a good screen sharing program. These programs enable you to quickly share your screen with anyone in the world, be it a technically proficient friend or family member or your tech support.
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Giving Tech Support With Remote Control Software
In the past, both giving and receiving technical support was a very disconnected experience. The user seeking support would typically be faced with the prospect of calling the company they needed support from, navigating through a complex web of support options, and explaining their problem to a support specialist - all before they ever received any actual support. Even after navigating this rocky road to support, the user had only really just begun their journey.
What would follow is a lengthy phone conversation with a tech specialist who may live on the other side of the world, and have only a set of pre-determined solutions to work with. In addition, trying to translate the words of the support specialist into issue correcting actions can be a very tricky process for even the most advanced users. Different operating systems, software version and hardware configurations can often lead to branching issues that require an expert's direct intervention. Fortunately for all involved, the methodology of both giving and receiving tech support has changed drastically in the last few years thanks to the rise of Remote Control Software.
Remote Control Software, also known as Remote Desktop Software, allows for connections among two or more computers. Once connected, users can take complete control over each other's computers and will have an exact full screen representation of the accessed computer displayed on their screen. While many users are finding exciting and time saving ways to leverage this software, its use in the technical support environment has perhaps been the most widespread. Administers of technical support find these products to be incredibly advantageous to their work due to the incredible amount of saved time and stress. Technical support specialists dislike the long wait times their customers are forced to endure as much as the customers themselves dislike waiting on hold to receive support. It is for this reason that many tech support specialists prefer to use remote control software to administer support whenever the option is viable.
Despite the advantages for the tech support specialists, the real winners in these situations are the customers. Every customer that calls for tech support has the same goal in mind: get my problem solved as quickly as possible. For those individuals fortunate enough to receive technical support from a specialist using Remote Desktop Software, that goal is typically achieved and, quite often, surpassed.
Businesses who decide to make remote control support a cornerstone of their technical support strategy are often rewarded in ways that go beyond mere customer satisfaction. When a customer receives tech support through the use of these programs, they tend to feel as though the level of service received is of a higher standard. If the support succeeds in solving their problem, this can result in what is known as brand evangelism. This is the process in which individuals, extremely pleased with the services of a particular company, take it upon themselves to spread the word on their positive experience with the company, and encourage others to try the product or service that company provides. We see that tech support delivered via remote desktop software can not only be quicker and of higher quality, it can result in new levels of customer satisfaction and even inspire them to generate new customers on behalf of the company.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/4373419
Troubleshoot Computer Booting Problem
During the life of your computer, you will probably experience problems with booting the operating system. These boot problems are often caused by newly installed hardware or software. Windows has many tools that can help you to troubleshoot boot problems, find and resolve device and driver conflicts and remove offending software. By using a process of elimination, you can often find the exact cause of the problem. Once you've done the necessary maintenance, you can attempt to reboot your computer normally.
Instructions:
1. Write down the exact error messages you receive while the computer is booting Windows. Click "Start > Run." Type "msconfig" in the field and click "OK." Click the BOOT.INI tab.
2. Check the box next to "/SAFEBOOT." Choose "MINIMAL" to reboot Windows in safe mode. Select "NETWORK" to reboot in safe mode with network support. Choose "DSREPAIR" to reboot in Directory Service restore mode.
3. Click "Start > Control Panel > Add or Remove Programs." Find the programs you installed most recently within the list and uninstall them. Keep the installation CDs or files handy in case you would like to reinstall the programs later.
4. Click "Performance and Maintenance" in Control Panel. Select "System." Select the "Hardware" tab. Click "Device Manager." Select the device that you added to your computer most recently. Right click the device and select "Properties." Click the "Troubleshoot" button and select the option that best describes the symptoms your device is experiencing.
5. Click on all of the plus signs next to the entries in Device Manager to expand all the devices. See if there are any black exclamation marks on a yellow triangle. This indicates a problem with your device. Also see if there are any red X marks near the devices. This indicates that the device is disabled.
6. Click "Start > Run." Type "msconfig" and select "OK." In the BOOT.INI tab, uncheck the /SAFEBOOT option. Reboot your computer. If the computer starts normally, you're finished. If it doesn't, reboot in safe mode and click "Start > Control Panel > Performance and Maintenance > System Restore." Select "Restore my computer to an earlier time." Choose a date on the calendar that is at least one day prior to the time that your computer began experiencing boot problems.
7. Reinstall any software programs or hardware you removed one at a time. Reboot the computer after each installation. Make careful notes of any error messages or boot problems you experience.
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Technical Support - Prevention is Better Than Cure
The best way to deal with the sloppy service you are bound to receive if you resort to a technical support phone call is to avoid that phone call altogether. The blunt truth is that technical support service, with unwilling companies and logistical hurdles galore, is not going to get better in the near future. Instead of leaving your computer system to the winds of fate and time, it is better and a lot easier to take matters into your own hands. Eventually, all computer software and hardware must be replaced but by taking care of your computer, you can reduce the chances of your computer system failing and increase its longevity. Taking care of computer is easy and cheap as most of the tools are available bundled with the operating system itself. Additional software that you might need is readily available free or very cheap online.
1. Always, always use an antivirus. Your computer, particularly if it is connected to the internet continuously through a broadband connection, is at risk of being infected by over one million malicious computer viruses. Computer viruses are essentially little bits of code that have found ways to get past or manipulate your computer security system. Once they are in your computer, they can wreck havoc. An antivirus is a must for any computer that is connected to the Internet. Even if the computer you use is rarely connected to the internet, it is at risk of being infected by flash-drives, floppies or practically any other external media. Free antivirus software is readily available online if you do not feel like shelling out money on one.
2. House-cleaning. Computers and humans and human life have a great deal in common. Because they were invented and designed by humans, they reflect a lot of human concepts. Computers, like homes, can become cluttered, particularly the hard-drives. Through intensive use, hard-drives will generally get fragmented, which means that a single file may be written across multiple locations on the disk. Although this poses no problem per se to the operation of the computer, it slows it down considerably as to read one file the hard disk must scan to several locations instead of being able to read in one line continuously. Regular defragmentation (the process of joining these fragments of data together on the disk) is a must. Defragmentation software exists natively on your operating system and need not be bought separately.
3. Backup. Never put all your eggs in one basket, someone said, and that principle holds all the more true in the cyber world. Always keep a backup of your important data in a separate location (i.e. on another computer or online; keeping a backup on the same computer is pointless). This way, in the event that your system goes through a catastrophic software crash, all you simply need to do is format (erase) the entire computer, reinstall the operating system and load your vital data back on. In many cases, a clean installation is a lot easier and takes less time than trying to diagnose the problem with a technical support staff.
Does Dermalogica Skin Smoothing Cream really offer any advantage over the no-name brands, and do the even pricier options really work even better? In reality, there are some pricier skin care creams that offer only limited benefits, and only a handful of products that offer genuinely stand-out results -- and what works for you will depend partly on your skin type and sensitivity. Dermalogica, one of the dramatically more reliable brands, is available for a discount at a few authorized sellers online; we recommend http://www.whatgreatskin.com/ mainly because they offer detailed reviews on their product, which cover the full gamut from Pevonia to Dermalogica.
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