Microsoft's year of change

On Feb 04, 2014, Satya Nadella was appointed as the new CEO of Microsoft, changing the future direction of Microsoft. The organization had to change, the technology industry itself changes everyday, technology is upgrade, reinvented or simply created from scratch. If an organisation is to thrive in the field of technology, it must adapt and most importantly, it must innovate staying constantly ahead of all it's competitors.

Microsoft's past success has been built on that ability to innovate. For 30 years they have led the creation of new technology, creating products that met consumer demand. Their technology facilitated better business, a trait that has seen them corner the enterprise technology market. That innovation is core to Nadella's appointment and is crucial for Microsoft as the company enters the next chapter in product innovation and growth. The forseeable future of technology will be cloud led, putting Microsoft in a strong position. Nadella was ultimately responsible for the companies strategic and technical shift to cloud, overseeing the development of one of the worlds largest cloud infrastructures, Windows Azure.

The future for Microsoft looks exciting, if not yet certain, but before we dream of flying DeLoreans and robot butlers, lets take a closer look at that past history that has taken Microsoft to where they stand today. Using the follow infographic developed by Firebrand Training, let us go on a whistle-stop tour looking at the history of Microsoft Technology. Take a look at the first desktop operating system, discover email management products you didn't know existed, and puzzle at what exactly a relation database management product is.

This article was written by Edward Jones, Technical Writer for Firebrand Training. Edward is tasked with servicing the information needs of the technology industry, and spends his days writing how-to guides, news and opinion articles.

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4 Ways to Become a Plagiarist and Only One How to Avoid it

Today, in the digital era, becomes a victim of plagiarism is not worth nothing, and even easier to become a plagiarist, even though this. So there are a few steps to become a great plagiarist:

1 - using the “copy-paste” method of writing.
2 – borrowing other’s person material and rewrite it.
3 - submitting someone’s work as your own.
4 - downloading already made articles from internet.

As you can see, it’s quite easy to make a career of a plagiarist. You don’t need to have any special skills or take special courses, all what you need: internet, a bit of impudence and unwillingness to work by your own. But, actually nowadays plagiarism is a huge problem, it has firmly entrenched in almost every sphere of life in our modern society. This phenomenon spreads more and more and, there are not so many ways to solve this problem.

Struggle against plagiarism started long ago, but there are only a few methods, which proved the effectiveness. One of them is online checker of plagiarism. Actually there are many special web-sites, where you can check your article on plagiarism, for example contentplagiarismchecker.com – service which was made to verify the originality. It is fairly easy to use, just copy your text and paste it, and you will see the level of similarity. If it’s high (it will be high, if you use one of the fourth method which we have spoken before), you need to rewrite your text to decrease this level. Actually such programs are the only who can struggle against plagiarism. So if you don’t want to become a victim of plagiarism - сheck all the texts that you work with using this sites.

Written by Emily Dawson, the philologist. She has spent the greater part of her career in learning and researching, loves to share the knowledge.

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Best Free Windows Disk Clean Up Tools

 Nowadays everyone uses computers constantly, as they are inevitable part of our lives. Whether at work, at school or just for pleasure we are always downloading applications, playing our favourite games or simply surfing through internet.


If your free disk is full with programs, movies or other types of applications you definitely need an effective tool for cleaning up your free disk space. It is essential not to forget to do this regularly, otherwise the computer will not function properly or at least not with the desired speed.


For that purpose we offer to your attention some of the best clean up tools for your computer. They will help you to provide a full and extensive care of it, without causing any problems or damages to the free disk space

· PrivaZer v2.4

This is a new type of effective cleaning tool that ensures the peace that once you delete the information it is gone for good. It is a free PC cleaner that is accessible to all users who want to take advantage of this tool. It is compatible with XP, Vista, Win7 and Win8. Its smaller size of 3,6 mb makes it a desired choice for the users. Normally when you use your computer you always leave sensitive traces that makes the PC slower and reduces the free space available. Instead of using expert recovery software you can trust this perfect cleaning tool which will help you to clean the free disk in an immaculate manner.

· Wise disk cleaner

This disk cleaner is designed to delete the unnecessary files on your computer and by unnecessary files we mean all those junk files and temporary internet files. Wise disk cleaner possesses interface that is easy for use and helps you to wipe out all the junk files from the computer. In case you are advanced user you can customize some of the operations and to select manually the folders that you want to be cleaned up or to erase files with certain extensions. If you are a beginner you can use the program's default settings to clean up the system effectively. When using this cleaning tool you can erase the files forever or you can firstly place them into the recycle bin. A great advantage is that this tool works fast when both scanning for files and deleting files.

· Little registry cleaner

The little registry cleaner is an open source, whose purpose is to clean up Microsoft Windows Registry. It is compatible with Win2k, XP, Vista and Win7. It deletes unwanted and obsolete items that are built up in the registry over time and in that way it guarantees for the stability and performance of the computer. This cleaning tool has translations for 17 different languages and is 100% Freeware. Another advantage of this disk clean up tool is that is offers portable edition, that allows you to run it anywhere you want. It manages files that are executed once the windows starts. It automatically backups the registry by using windows and an internal database.

· CC cleaner

CC cleaner is a freeware system optimization and a privacy tool. It allows the Windows to work faster and frees valuable hard disk space. A very important feature of this cleaning tool is that it cleans traces of your online activities like your Internet history. It is fast and it is compatible with Win2k, XP, Vista, Win7 and Win8. The CC cleaner removes temp files and recent file lists from a variety of applications such as Media player, eMule, Toolbar and Microsoft Office.

These are one of the best free disk clean up tools that will help you to organize the files and applications on your computer devices in the best possible way. Make sure that you have download one of these cleaning tools, for the proper care of your computer.


Author Bio: Silvia Marks loves to write for new technology and cleaning. She runs a company which offers low Prompt home cleaning services. Her hobby is to maintain things clean and pretty.

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How To Troubleshoot Google’s Local Ranking Failures?

  

After having put in a lot of time and effort towards building a flawless website, it can be daunting to encounter a fallout in Google’s local ranking. The trauma of suffering from a lower Google local ranking can lead into a reduction in the company’s reputation as a whole.

Fortunately, when there are problems, there are solutions as well. The same goes for reduced Google local rankings as well. Being familiar with the steps for troubleshooting this issue, you can easily combat the local ranking failure for your website. So, without letting you wonder anymore, let me walk you through a tutorial that will outline the steps that can turn beneficial when it comes to troubleshooting a website’s falling Google local ranking.

Step 1- Check for reports of mass issues or bugs
 

As the first and foremost step in troubleshooting low or lost Google local ranking, you must gain an instant access to reports that contain a collaborated list of issues that might be present in the website. Look out for any unresolved bugs that might be interfering with the Google local ranking of your website.

Talking about mass issues, the thing that you need to discover is whether a single issue is causing your website’s Google local ranking fallout or whether there are a number of issues causing the problem. You can start discovering this by visiting the Google and Your Business Forum where you can search for the problem you’re experiencing with your website. If you detect multiple threads reporting your identical issue, right from the time you’ve been encountering the problem, then there are good chances that a specific bug or a recent Google update might have been the reason for the problem. Once you’re clear on the issue, you can re-access the forum for related solutions that have been provided by experts.

Step 2- Check out for any Google Quality Violations 

 

One of the most significant reasons behind a lower Google Local ranking is a possible violation of Google’s quality guidelines. So, if you’re a bit dicey about having violated any Google standard, then it’s better to go through the Google Places Quality Guidelines and check out whether your website follows each one mentioned here or has violated anyone of the rules mentioned here.

Check whether mistakes have been made in relation to the naming of your business, phone number, address and other related components. Remember, breaking even a single Google rule can cost you a lot on your Google rankings. Hence, be sure your website hasn’t violated any of these rules.

Step 3- Watch out for any duplicate Google+ Local Listings


Excluding multi-partner practices like law firms, hospitals, restaurants etc. every business is allowed to have just a single Google+ Local Page per location. If your business website has more than one Google+ Local Page, it is likely to cause a lower/lost Google local ranking. While sometimes, duplicate Google+ local listings are created intentionally, there are times when they are built by spammers for undertaking hazardous manipulations. In either of the cases, duplicate local listings can cause a considerable harm to the website under focus.

Components that allow you to detect local listing duplicates include the name of business, address, phone number, product/service categories and product/service descriptions. Even if you find it challenging to detect any variance, it is better to check your website for duplicate listings, especially if your website is facing local ranking issues.

Step 4- Discover Website Quality Issues

Yet another critical reason behind a lower/lost Google local ranking is a bad performing website. As an entrepreneur, it’s your website’s on-page quality and methods you use for marketing it that play a vital role in the local search rankings. While troubleshooting local ranking issues for your website, it is recommended to look into aspects including the following:

• Is your website optimized for the local search engines?
• Do your website’s title tags contain related keywords?
• Does your website feature clear and crawlable navigation?
• Do Google Webmaster Tools indicate 100% crawling of your website?
• Does your website look professional or is it full of spelling and grammar errors. 

Wrapping Up
So, these were the 4 basic steps, which if followed seriously can allow you to troubleshoot the lost/low Google local ranking for your website. I’m sure you’d have found these steps easy-to-follow. Don’t forget being friendly with Google means a greater customer base. Hence, make efforts to ensure that your website is in sync with all the standards that form the basis of a well-defined search engine friendly website.

Please don’t forget to share your views/opinions on the above post. 

Author Bio:
Edword Jones is a web developer by profession and a writer by hobby and works for OSSMedia Ltd a leading Custom Joomla Development company. He loves sharing information regarding Drupal, Joomla, Magento and Wordpress development tips & tricks. If you are looking for Joomla Developers for Hire then just get in touch with him.

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High Amounts of DDoS Attacks in 2013

The year of 2013 saw high amounts of Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks. Beginning in March, finance, banking, and insurance companies were the focus of an assault that lasted for 14.6 days. Through the year, the attacks ranged from 20.6 hours to 5.4 hours at the end of the year.

The finance, banking, and insurance industries faced the brunt of these attacks towards the beginning of the year, whereas media and entertainment saw these types of attacks around the end of the year. The majority of attack vectors were User Datagram Protocol (UDP), SYN and Domain Name System (DNS).

The floods and the peak bandwidth ranged between 111gbps and 179gpbs. Some saw a peak attack of 144 million packets-per-second. These attacks focused on major corporations in the fields of finance, marketing, or politics, as well as various social media platforms and hubs. DDos attacks target massive online shops or host sites for independent sellers. It is a detriment to business and creates a lot of stress for those who fall prey to these forms of attacks.

Created by the marketing team at Prolexic Technologies.

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The Most Audacious Hacks in Computer History

When we think of warfare, most people will speak of the horror. Guns, tanks, bombs and explosions. Death and destruction everywhere. This is what war brings to people and to places.

However, there’s another form of warfare that is becoming increasingly prevalent and it can often be just as destructive as traditional war; cyber warfare.

Yes, computers are not only a powerful tool, but used by experts can be a powerful weapon too. The recent troubles with the Ukraine and Russia have highlighted cyber-attacks on Ukrainian computer networks. The sophisticated nature of the ‘Uroburos’ cyberweapon has led experts to believe it was designed to hack government and telecoms networks. Is it a coincidence that this weapon originated from Russia? Who can say, but it is not alone in being a way to disrupt people, businesses and countries as a malicious action.

Here are other examples of computer hacking which are noteworthy for their sheer audaciousness.

US Nearly Explodes Siberia. All of it.
The year is 1982. It is the height of the Cold War between the USA and Russia. The CIA and their Soviet equivalent, the KGB, were constantly trying to outdo each other. In one of the first examples of a Trojan Virus, the CIA added it to software the Russians stole and then used to monitor and regulate Russian gas pipelines. The software would lie in wait until the program finished running a specific number of commands (in this case, 10 million cycles).

After 10 million, it would change the program slightly. This occurred after several months, and then things got serious. The code instructed the software to run a pressure test at higher than normal levels. However, the CIA did not take into account that Russian engineering might not be equipped to handle it. The result was a pipeline explosion in Siberia that was so big it was 20% the strength of the Hiroshima atomic bomb.

The Best Spy in the Business Wasn’t a Person
Traditionally, secret agents and spies were men and women who put their lives on the line for their government. It didn’t take long for someone to figure out a computer could probably do the same job.
Enter Flame. 20 megabytes of code that was programmed to spy on several countries in the Middle East. Flame had the ability to do the following:

• Copy files
• Capture screenshots
• Download instant messaging logs
• Turn on computer microphones and cameras remotely

Basically, it acted like James Bond in many ways. In fact, it was also programmed to project a specific cryptographic sequence known as a ‘prefix collision attack’ in case of detection. This means that is basically disguised itself (like any good spy) by convincing antivirus software that it was supposed to be there.

The amazing thing is that if it did get detected, it would delete itself and all traces from a system. It managed to operate for five years until eventually discovered in Iran. They claimed that the US was responsible for the virus. The US has denied all knowledge so we may never know the truth.

This post was written by Jake Messer on behalf of HANDD, a company specialising in data loss prevention services, file encryption and managed file transfer.

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Top Rated Android Casino Apps for This Year

 

If the world casinos in Las Vegas are only a mirage for you, nowadays you can test your playing qualities in the most convenient way for you. Nowadays you can choose from a variety of casino apps, available for android. If you consider yourself a gambling type of person you have certainly tried at least one or two of these applications.

Despite the fact that when playing in the casino you are able to perceive the whole ambience and experience unforgettable emotions, some apps are still very well designed and you can amuse yourself effectively, while playing one or two games per day.

The best rated android casino apps for this year are the following:

1. Spider solitaire
The Spider Solitaire is an app that is already available for android. It tends to be one of the most popular free Spider Solitaire game and is a truly solitary experience. It is a version of solitaire and the goal is to place all the cards in each suit in stacks of descending suit sequence. The version of this game is exactly the same as that for the Windows, so if you have played it on your computer it won't be difficult for you.

The rules are simple and you can move to a different level of difficulty, while you attempt to tackle 3 and 4 suit games and become a master of the Spider Solitaire.

2. Jackpot city
This is an app that is perfectly compatible with Android devices. The wonderful visuals and the and the outstanding sounds will definitely impress the players. This is thanks to the fact that this mobile casino app is powered by Microgaming. It provides the players with eleven casino games, all of them from different gambling genres. It include games like Mega Moolah, Tomb Raider, Blackjack and Roulette.

The mobile casino players can also get in touch with a 24/7 customer support service, which could also be contacted through the phone. They will solve any issues connected to your playing on the City Mobile Casino App. The software of this app is second to none, with a very high quality. The game's graphics easily leads the players into the theme of the game and they can freely enjoy this magnificent experience. The easy structure of the game is another advantage of this casino app. Everything is set up in a way which would be the easiest for the user.

3. Party casino
Party casino mobile app is powered by the in-house development team of Party Gaming. The players can enjoy a wide range of casino games but firstly they should use the QR code that could be found of on the mobile page of the casino to get the app or they must open the casino's website and download it directly from there. The website has the quality to automatically detect the phone type and will deliver the appropriate casino app.

The mobile players can place real money bets on the outstanding collection of games at Party Casino. The players can always seek the help of the professional customer support of the helpful and motivated team. The flashy lights are particular for this online app casino game. The casino is made to work perfectly through the touch function. The players are given a wide variety of depositing or withdrawing options. The bank information is well encrypted so players do not to have to worry about the banking information.

4. Gaming club
This is a casino app that is also provided with software and games by Micro-gaming. This is a guarantee for the excellent experiencing of the customers, with a perfectly made interface. You just need to open the Gaming club through the mobile browser and follow the simple steps. There is a wide variety of games available to the players, appropriate for everyone's taste. There are cover table games card games, slots, progressive games as well as virtual racing games.

The wonderful software offers the players the most exciting mobile gaming experience. The colorful and bright colors of the visuals will immediately draw your attention. There is a reliable customer support and the team will help you to resolve any issues through a Live chat Feature, phone or by email. There exist plenty of depositing options for the players and the same goes for players who are willing to withdraw their money from the earned winnings.

These are some of the most popular casino apps for android for this year. Even if you are not keen on gambling or spending your leisure at playing games some of them will definitely appeal to you. Bring the atmosphere of the real casino and enjoy the great variety of games.

Author Bio: Gayle Grant is blogger and writer who writes about technology and gambling. His passion is Punto Banco articles but he is also keen on different casino games.

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6 Free Cleaning Apps You Must Have on Your Mac

As your Mac ages, you’ll probably begin to notice it becoming less efficient. The start-up process can begin to take longer, internet browsing can slow down, and applications that once ran smoothly can become jittery or laggy.

The good news is that these problems are easy to address, all you need to do is download one of the many free professional Mac cleaning software packages and have it clear up your machine.

Here’s a list of the 6 best options out there for your consideration:

1. MacKeeper
MacKeeper doesn’t just provide a deep clean service for your Mac (removing redundant files and speeding it up), it also monitors all of the applications you use for updates and streamlines the process of downloading + installing them.

Keeping your programs up to date plays a key role in maximizing their efficiency. Furthermore, MacKeeper provides protection against all forms of malware designed to infect your Mac and steal your personal information / adversely affect its performance, making it the ultimate all-round Mac maintenance tool.

2. CleanMyMac 2
With a track record stretching for more than 4 years of providing top quality Mac software, this latest addition to the MacPaw inventory doesn’t disappoint.

Built on the successes of its predecessor, the software provides a quick and easy means of cleaning up any and all troublesome files sapping your valuable processing power. It’s easy to use and doesn’t intrude upon your day to day use of programs.

3. AppCleaner
AppCleaner focuses on helping you locate all of the hidden cache storages, redundant user preferences and installation protocols likely to be clogging up your machine, and then displaying them in a unique and intuitive interface that makes the process of eliminating them quick and easy.

There’s nothing fancy or flamboyant about the software, but the simple drag and drop nature of interacting with it means it’s appropriate for even the least tech-savvy users.

4. OnyX
OnyX is a multi-purpose tool aimed at helping you to not just speed up the performance of your machine, but streamline the way you use it by reconfiguring a large number of folders, menus and option settings to make everything more efficient.

Traditional Mac cleaning mechanisms such as the removal of redundant files are of course included, but there’s a whole host of additional general maintenance tools included as well.

5. AppleJack
AppleJack is a comprehensive suite of Mac recovery and restoration tools designed to help not just to speed up machines that are becoming sluggish, but recover those that have succumbed entirely to technical difficulties.

The program itself is designed to be a user-friendly troubleshooting assistant for Mac OS X, and can help you address issues, even if you’re struggling to load the GUI.

You can address virtually any issue from cleaning up useless files to restoring corrupt applications simply by installing the software and then restarting your Mac in Single User Mode.

6. EaseUS
One of the most basic packages on offer, EaseUS nonetheless constitutes an effective means of completely removing useless files and speeding up your machine.

There are no supplementary features or gimmicks, but it does what it is supposed to do, it’s easy to use, and most importantly it’s free!


Your Turn

Try them all and find out which one(s) work best for you, before leaving a comment below. If you feel our visitors should be aware of any other such programs, feel free to mention them too!

MacPing.com is the ultimate website where you can find everything you need to know about how to care, optimize and make the most out of your MAC. You can find information on how to speed up your Mac, different must-have software that works best, secrets on how to boost its performance, and many more. Come and visit us today! 

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8 Free Apps For Crime Fiction Lovers

Do you love everything to do with crime and mystery? Are you looking for criminal investigation adventures to enjoy on your iPhone or Android? Then look no further, and enjoy the 8 games we’ve outlined and reviewed below!

1. Special Enquiry Detail: The Hand That Feeds
In this game, you’re charged with helping Lamonte and Turino get to the bottom of a case involving the murder of Carmody Phelps at her home.

The game itself focuses on locating hidden objects and piecing them together in a manner that sheds light on the mystery, whilst the narrative is pretty engaging and the artwork is highly detailed.

Some of the things you must locate might seem a little odd at times, but you can always call on the help of forensics expert Will Sheng for guidance.

2. Crime City
In Crime City, the tables are turned, and instead of helping to track down and arrest criminals, you are responsible for mugging, murdering and extorting your way to the top of the criminal ladder.

The aim of the game is to accumulate gold bars, which serve as a gauge of your progress and a means to acquire more weapons / vehicles.

The multiplayer element also allows you to team up with your friends and produce crime syndicates to rival others, or simply to engage in rampages against your peers in a bid to establish your dominance.

3. Crime Inc
Crime Inc. operates according to many of the same principles as Crime City, but instead of visually coordinating your criminal efforts from a bird’s eye view of the city, you do so via a series of shady, darkened room interactions with fellow mobsters.

Each successful completion of a criminal operation will boost your respect rating and bring you closer to the boss, opening up greater entrepreneurial opportunities.

Again, you can team up with or set out to destroy your friends online, a notion that has proved very appealing to the player base yielding well over 10 million active users.


4. Unlikely Suspects
Unlikely Suspects adds a quirky 70s twist to the familiar Cluedo / Clue game format, boasting 16 retro characters and a wealth of hidden objects that must be found in order to deduce who murdered who.

There are also in-game puzzles to solve and a wealth of additional aspects / clues like witness statements or airline tickets.

With over 4000 different scenarios to play out, this game also boasts some serious longevity.


5. The Room
The Room is a chilling, perplexing and ultimately enthralling puzzle game where you investigate a series of artefacts, pictures and locked boxes in order to discover the truth behind the ‘null element’.

Successful location of hidden keys will allow you to open mysterious boxes containing clues about this paranormal phenomenon, but there’s a long way to go before you discover the dark truth…

6. Crime Scenes: Hidden Unknown
This game sees you transferred to a city overrun with criminals and crime syndicates to head up Group A, an elite crime investigation team charged with cleaning up the streets.

Successful completion of puzzles and challenges will yield information leading to the capture of wanted individuals, and help you bring peace to a troubled population.

High quality graphics, an extensive list of challenges and an intuitive interface ensure a great gaming experience.

7. CSI Game
If you’re a big fan of the CSI TV series, then this is the app for you. Boasting a frequently updated database of trivia questions relating to characters and plotline, this is the ultimate way to prove to your friends just how much detective acumen you’ve picked from watching your favourite TV heroes.

A great way to relive the best moments from treasured episodes on the bus or train to work.

8. Crime Scene Investigation
In this game, you pick the story of Juliet, who worked in the city at a big, successful corporation, but suspected some of her coworkers were up to no good.

Upon investing time and finding evidence of their wrongdoing, she reports it to her superiors who subsequently have her killed. Your job is to find out exactly what she discovered and bring those responsible to account by locating a series of hidden items and interacting with them in the correct manner.

The game provides a good challenge, great graphics and an integrated walk-through to help you overcome some admittedly poorly translated text in places.

Your Turn

Tell us about your favorite or any other games you feel deserve a place on this list by leaving a comment below!
 
Do you like this article about crime scene games you should try? You can find more of these fun and exciting blog posts from Galnix.net – the ultimate hardcore gamer’s website.

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