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by: Rick Tanzo
Introduction:
Strategies are strategies. Dismiss for a moment from your mind what some people are saying about Bill Gates's offensive practices he used to transform himself from a small business entrepreneur to a titan in the business world. There are yet honest-to-goodness strategies we can glean from his sleeves. We can study, learn from them and possibly apply them in our own home based business. Upon this premise that this article was written. Strategy of Bill Gates - Have a Vision:
At the outset, I will lay down the results of my research on one secret strategy of Bill Gates. He used the same strategy to jump-start his small business to today's business behemoth. Based on my research, the strategy of Bill Gates is grounded upon the following:
"Have a VISION of what you want to achieve
and hold on to that vision come wrath or
high water."
His vision was:
"A Personal Computer on every desk."
By the way, I didn't want to use the grammatically correct expression "come hell or high water" - for personal reason - so excuse my grammatical preference. Anyway, let's go back to our subject. When you have a vision, you can make the impossible possible.
Almost everybody is familiar about how once upon a time the small business entrepreneur Bill Gates secured mighty IBM's contract to supply the latter's operating system. When he was negotiating with the IBM people, he had no operating system as yet. He was able to purchase a Disk Operating System or DOS for $50 thousand. In the end, he got the contract. Why?
Bill Gates was guided by his vision - that every desk all over the world should have a computer on it. This vision enabled him to provide IBM with a DOS operating system and have control over it including to whom he wanted it sold to.
Beginning Entrepreneur:
Before he became an entrepreneur, Bill Gates had nurtured the vision that software will one day rule the world. During high school he spent many late nights with friend Paul Allen tinkering with the school's computer system.
He dropped out of college after completing his junior year at Harvard. Instead, he and his bosom friend Paul Allen set up a small business - a software company - in far away New Mexico. This move was in accordance with his vision.
His vision became clearer as he moved from a total newbie to one with a small business to keep. His vision was clothed in clearer terms, as he negotiated the DOS deal with IBM.
Better late than never:
Bill Gates's company ultimately became the leader in the software arena. During the first half of the 1990's - 1993 to be exact - he was among the last of the software titans to acknowledge the future significance of the Internet.
But once he did realize that indeed Internet was the wave of the future, he had the tenacity to reshape his vision. His vision retained its old flavor - that is, software dominance in commerce, industry and in every field. It was rehashed in his own words as follows:
"In the years ahead, the Internet will have
an even more profound effect on the way
we work, live and learn … this technology
will be one of the key cultural and economic
forces of the early 21st century."
At this moment in time, Bill Gates is guided by the vision that the Internet is the wave of the present and the foreseeable future.
Lessons Learned:
You can learn from Bill Gates by having your own vision for your small business. Lay down this vision in your mind. Then put it into writing. Read your vision everyday while at work in your small corner of the house. Your vision could be as short-term as the following:
"To make my web site land within the top five of
Google when people search for the keywords
'home based business,'" or
"$200,000 earning this year from Google
Adsense,"or
"To enrich the content of my web site using
the theme 'scrap book making.'"
Do not limit yourself to short-term vision. Aim for the long-term. A five to ten years period would suffice. Technology may change but your vision will essentially be the same. You may refine it if deemed necessary, like incorporating the effect of technological changes - as Bill Gates did.
Your Share of the Pie:
Everybody - from Bill Gates down to your netpreneur friend - has recognized the tremendous role of the Internet in business developments. Some of the more immediate pressing concerns you should consider at this stage concerning your home based business are the following:
- General preference for digital transactions by clients. For example, as a beginning Internet entrepreneur you should meet your clients' demands who favor the use of online payment system.
At this juncture, I would like to refer you to my web site at InternetMarketingLearningCenter.com which offers free learning stuff on Internet marketing and home based business. One category being tackled in the web site is the online payment system. You may read online news and keep yourself abreast of the best software companion for your small business.
- Choose products that are preferred by people at this time when the Internet is dominating people's lives. It has been determined that information products and web shopping are favored by most consumers. Information products include your very own ebooks and "how-to" manuals.
- Make it your aim that your products are cheap, very useful, and the best among the rest of competing products. This applies most especially to shopping products. For your own digital products, you have the advantage of pricing them according to your own estimation.
You as the author of your own digital product determines the price level. It is no wonder why gurus like Jay Abraham, Jim Daniels and the late Corey Rudl have become so wealthy from selling their own digital pieces.
As for these three, they will be among the titans that we will tackle in future issues of this series.
About the author:
Rick Tanzo is the webmaster of the InternetMarketingLearningCenter.com Visit his web site today to discover the simple, fast and easy way to learn Internet marketing and home based business. The site offers free downloads and guide to some of the best deals online. http://www.internetmarketinglearningcenter.com
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by: Kirsten Hawkins
If your items aren’t selling, then you might have a bad pricing strategy. There as many pricing strategies in the world as there are purchaseers – if you look at two businesses selling the same thing, often the only difference you’ll be able to find between them is pricing. The ‘Few Dollars More’ Strategy.
Here’s something you might not have thought of. If you set your auction’s starting price to what you would usually charge for purchase it Now, while setting the purchase it Now price a few dollars above, you can make a profit by setting off an interesting psychological reaction in the purchaseer’s mind.
Here’s what they’ll think. They want the item, but why should they bother bidding for it? After all, they could use purchase it Now for just a few dollars more, and be sure of getting it! Doing things this way makes the value of the purchase it Now option extra clear to the purchaseer, and makes them more willing to pay extra for the privilege.
The ‘One Dollar Less’ Strategy.
This is simple, but requires you to keep an eagle eye on your competition. As soon as they start a purchase it Now auction for an item you stock, start an auction for one of those items yourself. Match the title closely, but price your item one dollar less than theirs. This will mean that your auctions will sit together in the search results, and who’s going to see both and go for the one that’s a dollar more expensive?
The ‘Free Shipping’ Strategy.
purchaseers really hate paying for shipping. With purchase it Now, you might find it easier to incorporate the shipping cost into the main price of the item, and then write “free shipping” in the auction’s title. You’d be surprised how many purchaseers would prefer to pay one price including shipping for the auction, instead of having shipping added on at the checkout. Again, this is psychological: they pay the same at the end, but it doesn’t feel like they’ve paid an unnecessary ‘extra’ cost for Internet shopping.
The ‘Go for It’ Strategy.
If you’d like a slightly more risky strategy, try this. List your item for the maximum duration (ten days), starting the listing on a Thursday so it goes across two weekends and finishes on a Sunday. Set the starting price to the minimum (one cent).
What you’re trying to do here is give bidders as long as possible to discover your auction, so that they push the price up themselves. Pay for a few upgrades like bold and highlight, to give them a helping hand. If you do this right, you can make a much bigger profit than you would have with any purchase it Now price, especially with a medium or high value item.
Since running your auction for longer means that more people see it, you should always take the longest duration of ten days, right? Not always. In the next email, we’ll talk about how long your eBay auction should run for.
About the author:
Kirsten Hawkins is an Ebay and internet auction enthusiast from Nashville, TN. Visit http://www.auctionseller411.com/for more great tips on how to make the most from Ebay and other online auctions.
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by: Steve Robson
The Internet can be a dangerous place.
While you're enjoying the convenience of online shopping,
Internet banking and subscription websites, nasty people
lurk around every corner. Hackers, fraudsters, identity thieves and many others would
love to get hold of your personal details.
And what stands between you and a security disaster?
Your password.
Just 8 little characters long, it's your last line of
defense online. Here are 10 tips for choosing and using
bullet-proof passwords that will protect you from harm:
Tip 1 - Avoid the obvious
Passwords based on personal details are too easy to guess.
Avoid using names, places, favorite sports teams, or
"password".
Tip 2 - Make it non-dictionary
One option a thief might try to crack your password is a
brute-force dictionary attack. Choose something that you
won't find in any dictionary.
Tip 3 - Use the full 8 characters
The more characters a password contains the more secure it
becomes, so fill that password field to the max.
Tip 4 - Mix the case
Deter thieves further by using a combination of upper and
lower-case letters. A mIXeD cAsE password adds another
layer of protection and is ever harder to guess.
Tip 5 - Include non-alphabetic characters
Adding numbers and non-alphabetic characters (like a hyphen)
to your password makes it less likely to be cracked than
something purely alphabetic.
Tip 6 - Don't write it down
This should be obvious but it's amazing how many scraps of
paper surround the world's PCs.
Tip 7 - Assign a different password to each login id
If thieves get hold of your password, they'll try it in
every online system available. Use a separate password at
each website and you won't have all your eggs in one basket.
Tip 8 - Employ a password manager
Remembering multiple secure passwords can be challenging.
Specialist software like http://www.robo-form.com manages
your passwords securely and automates the login process.
Tip 9 - Logout when you're done
Always hit the logout button when you've finished using a
secure site like online banking.
Tip 10 - Close that browser
Web pages and passwords can be cached in the browser, so
close down your browser window for added security.
Follow these simple common-sense tips and you'll enjoy
greater online security while benefiting from the many
advantages the Internet has brought.
About the author:
Steve Robson is a successful technical author and
contributor to 'How To purchase A Laptop.com' - the definitive
online guide for purchaseing a laptop computer. Check out:
http://HowTopurchaseALaptop.com
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by: Max Bellamy
HP refurbished laptops can be found on their website hpshopping.com. Just enter “refurbished laptop” into their search field and browse through the current selections. (Note that Hewlett-Packard also owns and distributes Compaq computers.) There you can purchase a quality refurbished laptop for up to 30% off the new retail price. The HP lines are named Pavilion and Omnibook; the Compaq brand offers the Presario laptop at refurbished rates.
The Pavilion line is by far the most popular. They are most suited to replace your home desktop computer, or assist any student in creating the perfect reports and multimedia presentations. They are slim, sleek, and very mobile – usually under 5 pounds. In order of performance, the most common Pavilion notebooks are the ze4000, ze5000, and ze1200. They come as cheap as $1000 from the manufacturer.
The Omnibook line is more suited to the serious home user and businessperson. They feature powerful, long-lasting batteries, interchangeable media bays, and ultra slim design – usually less than 4 pounds. These can cost as little as $1200 refurbished. The 20-30% savings is immense. They come with Intel Pentium 3, 4, or M processors. The most common lines are the 6100, 6200, and 4100 models. Ask the manufacturer or private refurbished laptops dealer for details on which Omnibook would fit you.
The Compaq Presario line is perfect for the money-conscience laptop user. One Presario model utilizes an Intel Celeron M processor to power the amazing graphics capabilities. It features 512MB of RAM and a jaw-dropping 40GB of hard drive space. It includes a DVD/CD-RW, which allows you to both play and record any DVD or CD that you wish. You can get all of these features for only $800, making it not the least expensive of refurbished laptops, but certainly a great deal.
As with most other manufacturers who offer refurbished laptops, HP offers a 90-day warranty.
About the author:
Refurbished Laptops Info provides detailed information on quality, cheap refurbished laptops by manufacturers like Dell, IBM, Toshiba, and HP, as well as refurbished laptop batteries and related products. Refurbished Laptops Info is the sister site of Rack Mount Computers Web.
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by: John Gibb
If you plan to go shopping for a new printer, there are several key features you want to consider before making your purchase. Inkjet or Laserjet?
The two most popular types of printer technology are inkjet and laser. Whether you purchase online or walk into a store, immediately you’ll notice a difference in price. Laser printers are usually more than inkjet printers, sometimes several times as much. In an office environment, you can easily pay $1,000 for a laser printer. In a home office, you can easily pay $100 for an inkjet, even less. However, not all laser printers are that expensive, and not all inkjet printers are that cheap. I’m going to tell you the things to look for that will help you decide what you need.
Speed
If speed is your chief concern, the laser printer will win hands down, every time. There are laser printers that can handle in excess of 34ppm (Pages Per Minute) and 22-24 is pretty much the minimum in today’s world. That’s not to say that inkjet’s aren’t plenty fast, some can approach 30ppm in draft mode. I’ve found most people don’t actually use draft mode though, so you’re going to get more like 5-10ppm in normal operation.
Connectivity
Something often over looked is, how will you plug in? I have seen people that don’t even know what a USB port is, go out and purchase a printer that only has USB support. They return home and end up making a call to find out that their computer doesn’t have a USB port. There’s nothing wrong with printers that only support USB, but make sure your computer supports what the printer supports. Also, don’t get a super short cable, pay attention to where you’ll be locating your new printer, and get a cable plenty long enough.
About the author:
John Gibb manages http://www.computer-and-printer-reviews.com
The site dedicated to computers and printers.
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by: Doug Woodall
Recently a wave of information has surfaced about Search Engine Security Holes, Browser Vunerabilities, redirection to malicious Websites, even Online Extortion Scams. Adware, Malware, Spyware Oh My !You surf your favorite sites, Sports, Shopping, Cowchip Tossing Blogs, and so on. Your kids download songs and IM their friends. But are you being tracked ? Is your personel information stored safe on your puter or is it being mined to a geeky looking guy sitting in the dark half a continent away ? Do you know for sure you are secure ? Many people dont. They take it for granted that thier service provider is watching over them.
If there is one thing I cant stress enough, its always read the fine print before you hit the download button. A survey I read about a month ago stated that less than 7 % read the info posted on the Download windows. Some Spyware will download itself without even you knowing it. And then how about the Link Hijackings. You go to your Bank URL, but you dont notice that its been changed slightly. The Login and Password you enter now is in the hands of a person who likes to shop !
There are the less dangerous Pop-ups. They are annoying sure, but sometimes it can get so bad you cant click em closed fast enough to even close out your browser. Spyware can slow your puter to a crawl, taking minutes to open a site. It can log your keystrokes, mine your data, reboot your puter, even cause it to not boot up.
Youve got to be safe people ! The Internet is a wonderful place. Its come a long way and its got a long way to go still, enjoy it.
About the author:
About the Author: Doug Woodall has a website at http://www.spywarebiz.comThere he provides free information and recommended products to combat Spyware.
He is a member of the IWA (International Webmasters Association)
Doug can be reached at spywarebiz@comcast.net
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by: Jakob Jelling
To conduct business on the Internet, whether informal, one-time only transactions between two friends, or a full-fledged business selling products or services, payment arrangements have to be made. Before 1998, this often meant either checks sent through snail-mail, or very expensive, and often hard-to-obtain, merchant accounts for online credit card processing. In 1998, PayPal was introduced to fill the payment processing gap. PayPal now has about 50 million members, but was originally introduced to provide a payment processing service for online auction purchaseers and sellers, in particular, eBay. Since then, PayPal has grown into the premier third-party payment processing service. In fact, PayPal was so successful that eBay bought the company in 2002, replacing their own Billpoint service with the far superior PayPal service.
PayPal is free to join, although purchaseers are no longer required to join in order to pay for goods and services from seller members. Many people are still afraid to do business online, and won't provide their credit card information. Scams certainly abound in cyberspace, but PayPal is a solid, reputable company, and there is little to fear.
For sellers, PayPal offers much lower processing fees than many other third-party processors. PayPal rates are not much higher than those of merchant account processors, and there are no ongoing fees. You only pay PayPal fees when you make a sale. It is also much easier and faster to set up a PayPal account than a merchant account. Some sellers complain of unjustly frozen PayPal accounts, and as with most any service, there are plenty of horror stories surrounding other PayPal actions. However, many more purchaseers and sellers have used PayPal from the beginning with no problem at all.
PayPal offers transfer of funds to and from a PayPal account through e-checks, debit and credit cards, and instant transfer from other members' accounts. They offer debit cards to allow you to make purchases against your account balance, just as you would with a bank debit card, a money-market interest rate on the balances in some accounts, seller and purchaseer protection services, invoicing, recurring billing, shopping cart, and many other tools that online merchants may need.
About the author:
Jakob Jelling is the founder of http://www.sitetube.comVisit his website for the latest on planning, building, promoting and maintaining websites.
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by: Gio Mangano
Many companies rely heavily on their high-speed internet to conduct their business with e-mail, video conference, and now for voice-over-internet telephony applications. What do you do? Get a business Dsl line fast! There are many Dsl companies offering service in your area, and these days there fighting to do business with your company. Be careful not to choose price over reliabilty. Reliability becomes critical when customers or employees depend on your connection for immediate responses. If your customers use your connection to access your databases or your server or the internet then reliability of your connection is critical. A critical connection can be viewed much like a life line, without which your business would be negatively impacted. Your monthly savings of having a sub-par connection will not make up for the loss in productivity of your employees or loss of customers when your DSL connection gets bogged down or cut off.
The fastest way to get an unbiased quote and compare DSL quotes fast is by going to the internet and shopping around for DSL providers.
Many DSL service providers are now offering low start up fees for 6-12 months. You can choose from multiple providers like earthlink, verizon and msn. Dsl is now available in many areas and being added to many more. DSL service usually runs between $19 and $79 per month, depending on the plan (residential vs. commercial, 512K vs. 3M, etc.)
Do some research, find the best possible price and get business Dsl to make your job easier. You dont want a slow internet connection to get you down!
About the author:
Gio Mangano is the owner of http://www.bandwidtht1.com, which provides unbiased quotes for T1 Line, T3, Frame Relay & business dsl
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by: ARA
(ARA) - With malls a frenzy of crowds and parking lots filled to capacity with cars, holiday shopping is often a punishing experience. Clothing styles change, people’s sizes change, prices change -- for holiday shopping, change is the only thing you can count on. For this reason, unconventional gifts often make the most lasting of impressions. Coins make a great gift item -- not only because of the artistry on each one but also because they symbolize lasting worth and timeless beauty.
Since the advent of the United States Mint’s popular 50 State Quarters Program, more families are collecting coins than ever before. Grandparents sharing a family collection with their grandkids not only brings families closer together, it brings generations together.
Coins have fascinated people for thousands of years. The collecting of coins started as early as the Renaissance when princes and kings collected ancient Roman coins. In fact, prior to the 20th century, people of culture could not be considered truly refined unless they owned a variety of antiquities -- fossils, sculpture, paintings, artifacts, scientific instruments, classic literature and coins. It is in this tradition that coin collecting was known as the “hobby of kings.” As coins became more widely used in various societies, including the United States, coin collecting became a pursuit of people from all backgrounds.
Coins reflect the symbols, traditions and values of bygone eras. Moreover, they inspire us to learn. In this way, coins are little history lessons in your pocket. Many U.S. coins feature prominent 19th century American explorers -- from the Golden Dollars featuring Sacagawea to the new Jefferson nickels featuring scenes from Lewis and Clark’s historic expedition. The depiction of Monticello, Jefferson’s home, that has been on the back side of the nickel for more than 60 years will be temporarily replaced with different scenes from the Lewis and Clark expedition directed by America’s third president. Monticello will return to the flip side in 2006.
These coins would make a great addition to any collection, or as a starting point for new collectors. The United States Mint is selling a two-roll set of the current Jefferson nickels -- the last of its kind until 2006 -- for $8.95. For more robust collectors, a 1,000-coin bag of the Jefferson nickels can be purchased for $79.95. A two-roll set of Kennedy half dollars or a single roll of 25 Golden Dollars featuring Sacagawea each cost $35.50. These coins were not produced for general circulation in 2003, and make perfect stocking stuffers for fans of hard-to-find coins.
The United States Mint Proof Set is another classic gift item, featuring proof versions of circulating coins, and all five of the 2003-dated state quarters packaged in a protective display case.
As an added bonus, the United States Mint’s Web site offers a variety of family-friendly educational features for collectors of all ages. The H.I.P. Pocket Change section of the site, www.usmint.gov/kids, makes it easy for those on your list to learn more about the coins in their collection. Through the site, your whole family can learn how coins are made, what coins are used in other parts of the world, and even download coin-themed screensavers. Better yet, it is a fun way to keep children learning when school is out.
First Day Coin Covers, blending the state quarter with a handsome envelope cancelled the first day of the coin’s release to the Federal Reserve, make great gifts and are suitable for framing. For those who want not only one of the state quarters but its counterpart state stamp from the United States Postal Service, the 50 State Quarters Greetings from America Portfolio and State Card Sets are wonderful additions to any collection.
The United States Mint also sells gift certificates in a variety of denominations that can be redeemed for collectible coins and other United States Mint products. Better yet, they can all be shipped directly from the United States Mint to your home.
This year, give your family some of history’s most popular gifts -- coins. Not only are they great keepsakes and lasting reminders of holidays gone by, purchaseing coins online will help reduce the frustration of hunting for a parking space and contending with the hordes of shoppers at the mall.
Yule be glad you did. The U.S. Mint’s Web site address is www.usmint.gov.
Courtesy of ARA Content
About the author:
Courtesy of ARA Content
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by: Matthew Noel
If you have a need for effective data conversion, then it is absolutely necessary to find reliable and trustworthy services to help you with your need. There are several ways that you can go to get the needs you have filled. To find the right solution, though, you’ll need to consider the options that you have and determine the right budget and the right hands on approach you wish to take. Data conversion can be done successfully several ways. Depending on your specific need, you can find a number of solutions for data conversion. Throughout the web you will find many companies and service professionals that provide solutions for you in data conversion. These services will not only convert data as you need them to, but many will analyze the data for you as well. This can be extremely helpful as it will allow a professional eye to handle your most intricate details. Likewise, these services can cost a good amount as well.
Another option that you have with data conversion is to purchase good quality software. Many types of software can actually handle analysis as well but it often lacks that personal touch. Less expensive than using a data conversion service, this is one route many individuals and businesses go. One way to find the most effective product or service is to use comparison shopping via the web. There are excellent opportunities in data conversion available here.
There are also many information portals now devoted to the subject and we recommend reading about it at one of these. Try googling for “data conversion” and you will be surprised by the abundance of information on the subject. Alternatively you may try looking on Yahoo, MSN or even a decent directory site, all are good sources of this information.
About the author:
For more information please see http://www.data-conversion-help.co.uk
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by: Robert Michael
Where To Find Cheap Internet Access
Many Options Are Available. There are a number of options for anyone trying to get the cheapest Internet service available. Completely free service is even offered by several companies. However, these options usually have some less desirable features, such as permanent pop-ups or other advertising gimmicks. Unless you are willing to put up with these, a free Internet service can inhibit your enjoyment of your Internet experience. People living in the UK have a variety of choices for cheap broadband service. Here are a few suggestions to begin you search.
A first option to consider would be Homecall Broadband. They have packages with voice and data bundled beginning at a low ?19.99 pounds.This company appears to run specials with regularity, and their packages include 2 mbps in bandwidth. Homecall is a reliable service for cheap Internet access.
Wanadoo Broadband is another option for cheap broadband in the UK. Their standard package is similar to others and offers a 2 mbps deal that begins at ?14.99 pounds. The amount of time you use your computer may also influence the price of the service. Wanadoo sometimes offers a free modem and connection, which is a 50 pound value, so be on the lookout for it. Wanadoo also has a free six-month membership, however, you must meet the qualifications for this incentive.
Another option in the UK is BT Broadband. They have made a name for themselves with cheap Internet service offers. BT has packages from ?15.99 pounds per month. These packages can be for home or business use.
Most of the time, it is not hard to find cheap Internet access. The hardest part is doing some research to find the option that is right for your needs at a suitable price. There are lots of choices out there. Before settling on any one provider, it pays to talk to some current customers to find out if they are a reliable company.
Make sure you assess your current needs. You don't need to get talked into a package that is more than you need. Take the time to figure out what you are looking for in an Internet service provider, and then go shopping. Make sure you know what you are going to use it for beforehand, such as business or personal use. Small businesses often have different needs from a provider than someone looking for one, for home use.
Since the competition for Internet providers is so strong, you can almost pick your package at the price you want. Nearly every provider will offer you the incentives you like with the price you want to snag your business. Keep this fact in mind when you are shopping for cheap Internet service. Then look at who is offering cheap service with the quality and reliability you want and get the cheap Internet service deal you desire.
About the author:
Robert Michael is the owner of Best Broadband Review which is a great place to find Broadband Links, Resources and Articles. For more information go to: http://www.bestbroadbandreview.co.uk
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by: Sol Geldstein
If you want to keep track of your money using your computer, there are several options out there for you. Computer software such a Microsoft Money, Quicken, and GnuCash can help you track your finances, do your taxes, or plan for a big purchase such as a car or home. Whether you just want to keep a simple household budget, or run the accounting for a small business, modern day financial software is the answer to a lot of the tedious chores involved with finances and accounting. The two most popular suites of tools for Microsoft Windows based computers are Microsoft Money and Intuit Quicken. Both of these packages have their plusses and minuses, but are both robust solutions that will most of the most common financial tasks with ease. If you are in the market for a new desktop or laptop computer, you should factor in the inclusion of financial software into the purchase price. The majority of vendors will include one of these two products in the purchase price of a new machine, so if you are shopping for a new computer and have a preference between these two applications, be sure to read the fine print when you are shopping.
Macintosh and Linux users are not left out in the cold when it comes to financial software as well. For the Mac there are several to choose from, including Intuit�s Quicken Mac and MoneyDance. Both of these packages have been around for several years. Quicken is more common, and due to the fact that they cater to both PC and Mac machines, they have a larger market share and installed user base. MoneyDance is a bit newer, but has its share of fans in the Mac world.
For those of you out there into the open source thing who are most likely running the free and open source operating system, Linux, there is an open source solution out there for you as well. GnuCash is an excellent, robust personal finance application for *NIX based machines. Not only is it intuitive and easy to use, but it is freely available with source code! That�s a deal that can�t be beat!
No matter what kind of computer you use at home, if you want to organize your finances and simplify your accounting, be sure to look into the different software packages that are out there for the various operating systems that can help make you more productive, organized, and most importantly, profitable.
About the author:
Sol Geldstein is a money enthusiast and owns FNA Money, the place to go when you need to find out anything about money. Get more money tips and tricks at http://www.fnamoney.com
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by: Kirsten Hawkins
Most people do far more shopping in the holiday season than they do for the rest of the year – and now you know how to use eBay, why not do it there? If you know what kind of thing your friends and family like then eBay’s categories are ideal places to get ideas. Plus, you won’t have to fight your way through the holiday rush when you’re getting everything posted to you at home!purchaseing Presents for People.
Here’s how I do it: think of the last thing the person you’re purchaseing a present for bought for themselves. Type it into eBay’s search engine. Now take a look at which category it’s in, and click the link to look at everything in the category. Straight away, you have a huge list of things that they’re probably be happy to receive – and if you know them well, you should have no trouble picking through to find something really special.
Look at Their eBay Histories.
If the people you’re purchaseing presents for use eBay, and you know their eBay usernames, then you can take a look at what they’ve been purchaseing to see what they might want. To look at a user’s history, just click ‘Advanced Search’ on the main page, then Find a Member on the left-hand menu. Type in their username and you should reach their user page, complete with all the item numbers of things they have bought. Just paste any item number into the eBay search box to see what the item was. That should give you a few ideas!
Shop in Advance.
It’s a bad idea to use eBay for your holiday shopping at the very last minute – prices will be high, and items might not turn up in time. Every year there’s a present that children want so much that all the shops sell out, and it starts appearing on eBay at a premium. Parents then pay hundreds of dollars and still don’t get one in time for the big day. Don’t fall into this trap.
Remember You’re in Silly Season.
The holiday season is peak time at eBay – loads of people are there, and they’re often inexperienced, bidding things up far higher than they should. Try not to end up paying far too much for an item just because it’s the last one that would turn up in time, or because everyone else is bidding too high. You should always know when to cut your losses, stop bidding and just go get something from the shop instead.
Have Fun!
Don’t take eBay too seriously – treat it like a game, and don’t be too disappointed if you lose. It can sometimes feel like gambling, but when you get that really rare and special thing in the post, it’s all worth it.
That’s it for our series of emails about purchaseing on eBay: I hope you learned something, and good luck in your eBay future. By now, though, you might have started to think it would be interesting to try selling a few things on eBay yourself. Well, you’re not alone. Go ahead and sign up now for our emails about selling things on eBay. See you there!
About the author:
Kirsten Hawkins is an Ebay and internet auction enthusiast from Nashville, TN. Visit http://www.auctionseller411.com/for more great tips on how to make the most from Ebay and other online auctions.
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by: Lois S.
You set up a retail business, you advertise in your local newspaper, you get customers coming into your store, and you receive payment at the cash register. Create an online store, and...how do you get customers? How do you receive payment? The concept is the same, but the steps are different. Step 1: Create your website
If you don’t have web design skills, you can hire a qualified web designer to create a website for you, or you can use an online site builder. Think of it as hiring an architect and an interior decorator compared to setting up shop in an existing store.
Using a web designer
With the services of a web designer, you can have a unique website template and website customized to your specific needs. A web development team can also add features such as Flash headers or any programming needed for your site. If your company image is critical, a custom-designed site that conveys the right professional image is a must.
Using an online site builder
An online site builder is the budget way to go. With site builder programs such as Site Studio, your website can be online within minutes. A step-by-step menu allows you to choose a layout and colors, and then add a site description, a logo, and content. Your template may not be unique, but your content will.
Step 2: Set up an e-commerce store
Your customers will browse at your website, select some items, and then pay for them. When you set up an e-commerce shopping cart, you’re providing a way for your customers to bring their purchases to the cash register. The program you choose will allow you to enter your products in the database and allow shoppers to choose products when they click on “Add to cart” or something similar.
Two well-known shopping carts, osCommerce and Miva Merchant, both allow you to do these tasks:
Add, edit, and delete product categories and other information
Set tax rates and charge tax
Receive payment via numerous online and offline payment processing methods
Bill customers
And much more
osCommerce
osCommerce is an open source program. Store owners can set up their online stores using osCommerce with no costs involved. For small stores, it has all the features you need for an online store. Drawbacks of osCommerce are that customization is not easy, and online stores using osCommerce tend to look similar.
Miva Merchant
While Miva Merchant carries a price tag of $995, some web hosts offer Miva Merchant licenses with their hosting plans. If you choose Miva as your shopping cart, be sure to host your site with a host that provides Miva support. Its learning curve is steep, and it requires the support of people who know how to work with it.
With the price and the steep learning curve, you get more features, and you can customize the program more. Add-in modules can be bought that perform a number of tasks. In addition, a strong support community is available in the Miva user group forums.
Step 3: Get a merchant account and payment gateway
When customers arrive at the checkout counter, you need a way for their payments to be transferred from their credit card accounts to your bank account. The method you choose may depend on your sales volume.
For high-volume sales, an e-commerce merchant account plus a payment gateway will meet your needs. A merchant account provider authorizes the transfer of payments to your account, and a payment gateway transfers the information from your customers’ financial institutions to yours.
Most merchant accounts have setup fees, transaction fees, monthly fees, and statement fees. The transaction fees are less than what you’d pay using a third party credit card processor such as PayPal. With all the fees, however, the overall cost is typically lower only if your monthly sales volume is over about a thousand dollars.
For medium and low volume sales, PayQuake and PayPal are viable options.
PayQuake
PayQuake offers three merchant account types to choose from. Although they all require payment gateways, the two smaller plans have no monthly minimums. You can upgrade to a higher or lower plan if your needs change.
PayPal
PayPal has become a household name. Customers can send payment through PayPal via credit card or via money that they transfer into their PayPal account. While the fees per transaction are higher than with merchant accounts, there are no setup or monthly fees, and you don’t need a payment gateway. You pay only when you have financial transactions.
Fore more details about these options, see WebSite Source Hosting Solutions: E-Commerce.
Step 4: Create a secure payment environment
A Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) certificate enables you to receive credit card information securely from your customers. When a payment page is using SSL data to encrypt data, a small image of a lock appears at the bottom right of the screen.
Some web hosts offer SSL certificates as part of their hosting packages. If your web host package doesn’t include SSL certificates, you can purchase one separately.
With PayPal, no SSL certificate is required.
Step 5: Generate traffic
Your products are on display in your newly designed store, your shopping cart is set up and ready to use, and you have everything in place to be able to receive payments securely. Now all you need are customers.
This is where marketing comes in.
Submit your site to search engines.
Advertise your site.
Keep your company name in front of your customers with a regular email newsletter.
Add more content to your website to keep it fresh.
Monitor your website traffic to see where it’s coming from and how you can increase traffic for key content areas.
For related information, see these pages:
Do-It-Yourself Search Engine Optimization
Promote Your Domain
About the author:
Lois S. is a Technical Executive Writer for http://www.websitesource.com and http://www.lowpricedomains.com with experience in the website hosting industry.
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by: Jim Edwards
© Jim Edwards - All Rights reserved
http://www.thenetreporter.com
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Imagine you find yourself in the market to purchase a new digital
camera and, before you part with your money, you want to
comparison shop for the best price online. If you do a search for "digital camera" on Google.com, the
Web's top search engine, you'll get back over 7 million page
results.
Refine your search to a specific model, such as the HP
Photosmart 935, and you get back 137,000 page results. Now
do a search on Bestpurchase.com, CircuitCity.com, and Amazon.com
and you'll only find it listed one time, and on that site it
costs $60 more than I paid for it at Target.
Even though the web makes it easy to search out the products
we want to purchase, sometimes that mountain of information makes
it almost impossible to find the best deal.
To solve this problem there are "personal online shoppers"
which help you seek, find, and comparison shop multiple
offers for just about any product you want to purchase, online or
offline.
An online personal shopper-type service enables you to log
on to a single site, enter the product details you want to
search, and then have the website give you back a list of
prices and places where you can purchase the item.
The personal shopping assistant sites that rate the best
don't accept commissions for the sale of items through their
services because getting paid based on what the customer
purchases would eliminate unbiased product comparisons.
The best services make their money by selling targeted
advertising to merchants and only displaying products in
their search results based on price and features.
~ MySimon.com ~
MySimon.com ranks as one of the oldest personal shopping
assistants on the Internet.
Highlights of the service include an extensive homepage
directory to help you choose the correct product category to
search and a database of millions of products.
On the negative, MySimon.com does manipulate their merchant
listings pages based on how much money the advertiser pays
to show up in the results.
~ PriceScan.com ~
Pricescan.com does not accept money from advertisers to
manipulate their search results, though they will show
targeted advertising on the search results pages.
A very nice feature on this site involves the ability to
enter features you want in a particular item (such as a
computer) and then search all makes, models, and
manufacturers matching those features.
You'll find this especially valuable when comparing things
like computers, which often carry many different variables
and configurations.
~ Froogle.com ~
Operated by Internet giant, Google.com, Froogle.com allows
you to search for specific items you want to purchase and then
sort them by price.
You can also specify a price range you're willing to pay for
the item and Froogle will only search for and display those
items that fall within the range.
Froogle also clearly draws a line (literally) between
unbiased search results on the left side of the page and
advertisers on the right.
In the testing for this article, Froogle consistently
returned the highest quantity and most relevant search
results for specific product names entered.
About the author:
Jim Edwards is a syndicated newspaper columnist and the
co-author of an amazing new ebook that will teach you how
to use fr^e articles to quickly drive thousands of targeted
visitors to your website or affiliate links...
Simple "Traffic Machine" brings Thousands of NEW visitors to
your website for weeks, even months... without spending a
dime on advertising! ==> http://www.turnwordsintotraffic.com
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by: Jeff Mueller
Online fraud is an increasing problem that can be avoided. Every year more and more people shop online, and every year seems to bring more ways to trick unsuspecting purchaseers. This report was written to help protect you as a consumer. Following the guidelines set in this report will protect you from most types of online fraud, and help you recover in the event that you are taken advantage of.
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Before You purchase
-------------------
Before you purchase anything online, review the store’s refund policy. Make sure they will accept returns on defective or wrong items. Also, see how long the return period is, usually, it is 30 days.
Review the store’s privacy policy. You want to know that your information is being handled responsibly before giving it to anyone.
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During Check Out
-------------------
Plastic or plastic? During the checkout process you will be given a few payment options. Of these, you will probably see credit or charge cards. As you know, if someone accepts credit cards, they also accept debit cards. Debit cards are not the same when it comes to limiting your liability for fraudulent use. Debit cards are fine for most things, but not online purchasing.
Credit or charge cards are the ideal way to pay online. If you pay by credit or charge card online, your transaction is protected by the Fair Credit Billing Act. Under this law, you have the right to dispute charges under certain circumstances and temporarily withhold payment while the creditor is investigating the disputed charges. In the event of unauthorized use of your credit or charge card, you generally would only be held liable for $50 worth of the charges.
Some credit companies even offer an online shopping guarantee that ensures you will not be held responsible for any unauthorized charges made online, and some may provide additional warranty, return and/or purchase protection benefits.
Double check everything. Make sure your billing, contact, and email addresses are correct and yours. You don’t want your purchases delivered to someone else.
Always ensure that the checkout is being completed on a secure server. You can tell if a server is a secure server by the web address, it should begin with an https://. In addition, the bottom of your browser should contain a padlock image.
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After the purchase
-------------------
Always keep a record. You should receive a receipt or invoice after your payment. If you do not, politely request one from the vendor.
Be sure to save this receipt, you will need it as a proof of purchase if the item is defective and needs to be returned, or was never received.
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Ongoing Precautions
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You should regularly check your credit card and bank statements for any unauthorized payments. If you notice anything that you did not authorize, be sure to notify your credit card company or bank immediately.
Some malicious applications will rest on your computer, and send your private information to someone else. This is a common cause of identity theft. For this reasons, you should always run the latest version of your antivirus program with the most recently updated databases. You should also run spyware removal programs regularly.
-------------------
Conclusion
-------------------
Following the guidelines outlined in this report should lead to a satisfying online experience. The only identity theft victims are people that don’t know or follow safe shopping practices.
About the author:
Jeff Mueller is the founder/webmaster of
Slick Shoppers http://www.slickshoppers.com
Dedicated to finding the best deals and
savings on brand name items.
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by: Keith Kingston
With the introduction of the inkjet printer and printer ink cartridge in 1984, the task of printing your documents and changing printer ink cartridges became more convenient, reliable and cleaner than the previous methods of changing ribbons or inserting a toner cartridge. Prior to 1984, the ink delivery systems were not as dependable as they are now. The inkjet system replaced the old dot matrix method, which required changing a ribbon. It wasn’t long before the printer industry began conceptualizing a new ink delivery technique, including the drop on demand method. Several companies were the driving forces behind developing the inkjet technology, and by 1990 the method was widely accepted. Today it is the method of choice for printing requirements, and will print both black and white documents as well as color graphics and photos.
The quality is excellent, thanks to the development of printer ink cartridges. It is possible to print on many different sizes and types of paper, fabric, film, etc. These printers are used in businesses, in schools and the homes of millions of people worldwide.
Each printer uses a specific printer ink cartridge, most often one each of black and color. Each cartridge is given an identifying number and lists the model number of each printer in which it can be used. While each printer manufacturer recommends its own brand of printer ink cartridge, it is possible to refill the cartridge yourself, or purchase a refilled, remanufactured or a compatible cartridge.
There are two types of refilled cartridges: You can do it yourself with a kit that allows you to refill your own cartridge. Refill kits are available at a very low price and are sometimes the choice of those who don’t mind doing the filling in order to save money. The other alternative is to purchase a refilled cartridge from a manufacturer. This method involves drilling, filling and sealing an empty cartridge.
A remanufactured cartridge is an original printer ink cartridge that has been taken apart and outfitted with ink and new parts if necessary. It is then inspected and tested before being placed in the marketplace to re-sell. The workmanship in these cartridges is usually guaranteed against defects during the life of the cartridge. The lifetime is generally the same as the original, they are safe to use in all printers, and the warranty on your printer will not be affected. The cost is lower than the original.
Another kind of cartridge that has evolved in recent years is the “compatible” cartridge. Simply put, it is a cartridge that is built to the same specifications as those of the original manufacturer and is generally cheaper than the original. It is also guaranteed against defects during its lifetime.
Inkjet printers using printer ink cartridges have a bright future ahead, thanks to their capability to produce high-quality printed material quickly and inexpensively. The manufacturer’s printer ink cartridge is one option, and the use of alternative printer ink cartridges is another option. When shopping for printer ink cartridges, always purchase from a reputable dealer. A huge inventory of hundreds of types of cartridges can also be found by shopping on the Internet, which is a convenient, safe and reliable method of finding the best deals on printer ink cartridges.
About the author:
Keith Kingston is a professional web publisher who offers advice on how to go about getting great deals on printing and ink supplies.
http://www.4-printer-ink.com/
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by: Gary Gray
As you know, gas prices are way up right now, and could hit all-time highs this summer. Since gas is a necessary commodity, the high prices may give us a good reason to complain. But instead of slamming your fist on the steering wheel the next time you
fill up, try saving money in other ways to make up the difference. Now, I'm not talking about clipping newspaper coupons for your next visit to the grocery store (though that might be a good idea.) I'm talking about deals and discounts that are easy to find and easy to use--no cutting required.
Coupon sites on the World Wide Web provide a very valuable and FREE resource that can save consumers a lot of money. A lot of people don't think about looking at coupon sites before they shop for something online, but if they do, they'll find special coupons, discounts, or promotions. And we're not talking 5% off at Harry's House of Hairpieces. We're talking about great discounts from retailers like Target, PetsMart, purchase.com, Overstock.com, Home Depot, and many more.
Before you go shopping for a gift or something essential for yourself, I'd urge everyone to visit online coupon sites and see what you've been missing. Chances are, you'll find something that will save you a good amount of money on that purchase.
So what kind of deals can you get? These sites offer discounts, coupons, and promotions from retailers in any category, such as pet supplies, jewelry, apparel, toys, books and magazines, flowers and gifts, home and garden, sports and recreation, shoes, luggage, office supplies, and more. Many of them also feature a search function where users can look for deals on specific items or from specific retailers.
A lot of coupon-site promotions include free shipping, big "dollars-off" discounts on purchases from certain retailers or on certain items, and more. Many of the merchants featured on coupon sites provide "affiliate only" links to discounts, meaning shoppers would be unable to find those deals elsewhere. Some sites even offer a mailing list users can join to be notified of great deals when they come up.
These sites are usually updated frequently, sometimes even hourly, meaning you can be sure to get that one day only or weekend special. So before you go to make your next purchase on anything, remember that coupons sites can ensure you have the best deal you can possibly get.
About the author:
Author Gary Gray is co-founder of CouponChief.com which currently offers over 1400 discounts and deals from over 800 well-known, reputable retailers. This discount shopping site is updated with new coupons and deals daily, many of them not available anywhere else. Great search function, even notification of deals you're looking for. Don't get frustrated by high prices! Save at http://www.CouponChief.com
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by: Jonathan White
What’s one of the most annoying things that you find when shopping online?
One of the most annoying things that I find when shopping online is that when I try to find a product, I have to go to a few sites before I find the product that I am looking for. Once I have found my chosen product, I then have problems comparing this merchants product against other merchants that sell the same product so that I can try to find the best deal for this individual product online. So if you are also having problems like this when you are also trying to find a product online, then I would personally recommend that you try using some sort of product price comparison search engine/directory. The reasons for this are because these product price comparison search engines/directories list a large amount of products from a large amount of top quality merchants.
By using a product price comparison search engine/directory you can easily find and compare a product of your choice. You can do this by comparing the same product from individual merchants within the same product price comparison search engine/directory that sells the same product so that you can find the best price for your chosen product.
For example, http://www.simplysearch4it.com offers a product price comparison directory that also includes search facilities so that you can narrow down your search for a product of your choice. This product price comparison directory can be found at http://products.simplysearch4it.com where it lists over 250,000 products and is still growing daily. You can easily find products from garden equipment to housing goods. Within most product price comparison search engines/directories you can also order your results by price so that you can rank the lower priced products first followed by the highest priced products last.
As you can see, from using a product price comparison search engine/directory first, all you have to do is one search for the product that you want to purchase and then you should receive a large number of results. Doing it this way is a lot quicker than going to individual merchants sites doing individual searches for the same product. If the product price comparison search engine/directory doesn’t list the product that you are looking for then you can always search through individual merchants sites after using a product price comparison search engine/directory.
About the author:
Jonathan White has been involved in online marketing for over three years now and is the Webmaster of http://www.simplysearch4it.comwhere he also operates the product search at http://products.simplysearch4it.comwhere you can find and search for well over 250,000 products from a large amount of different online merchants.
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by: Nick Smith
No, this article isn't about some new, lose-20-pounds-in-a-week, certified-by-some-tan-Southern-California-doctor diet. It's about cookies on your computer - what they are, why they are there, and what to do about them. Computer cookies actually have quite a bit in common with their baked counterparts - some are good, some are bad, and they have expiration dates. Cookies are small text files that a server places onto your hard drive whenever you access a given domain. Cookies typically contain information that the website uses to either customize the page you are viewing or otherwise make your web browsing experience more convenient and enjoyable. The information is stored on your hard drive and accessed whenever you go back to the website that originally gave you the cookie. They usually include an expiration date at which point they will be erased from your computer - it could be when you close your browser; or hours, days, months, or years after it is placed. Some don't expire at all. At the time of this writing I had a cookie stored on my computer that wasn't set to expire until Wednesday, February 25th, 2195 at 3:45:13 am - I deleted it.
Before you run out to your browser's options and delete and block all cookies, let me mention a few common uses of cookies:
* Cookies store information for 'shopping carts' at online stores. When you select an item and place it in the shopping cart, a cookie is created to remember the item and the price so that you can keep shopping. When you are done shopping you simply click the button to check out and the site accesses the information stored in the cookies to complete your order.
* Cookies can be used to remember logins and passwords. While this initially sounds a little disheartening, the purpose is really to save you time. Sites will remember the information for you so you don't have to type it in each time you want to access information.
* Cookies help websites customize their content and layout for you. If you are a diehard fan of the local college's basketball team, and you always access the stats and score from the game at a website, that site might use a cookie to send you straight to your team's page.
* Cookies help identify whether you have already visited a site. They can also count how many times you have visited the site in a given period of time.
* Cookies remember the last page or position you were on at the site. Like a virtual bookmark, this is especially helpful if you are reading online or accessing several pages of information.
There are many other ways cookies can be used, and there is obvious potential for abuse. You probably wouldn't eat a cookie given to you by a complete stranger, especially if you didn't know what was in it. The same common-sense principle holds true while you're online, and exercising a little caution can save you from a lot of heartache later on. Blocking any and all cookies will guarantee no personal information is leaked through the cookies, but many sites will either not be able to or will choose not to interact with you.
The trick, then, is to let the good cookies through while screening out the bad ones, not at all dissimilar to what you do when you hover over the cookie tray at a party - you take the ones you want and leave the rest behind. This can be accomplished in a few different ways.
First, you can periodically delete all the cookies on your hard drive. This will systematically wipe out all unwanted cookies that have made their way to your computer. Unfortunately, it will also take care of all the good cookies too. If you only use the internet occasionally (i.e. a few minutes a week), this option might work for you.
Second, you can try to go about it manually. Many browsers that allow you to block cookies also include a feature that allows you to include a list of sites from which you will allow cookies. The advantage of this method is it places virtually complete control over cookies into your hands, allowing only those that you want to be placed on your hard drive. The disadvantage is that it can become very burdensome (at times downright annoying) having to constantly update the list of allowed sites.
Third, you can call in some third-party software to help out. The best programs will scan your computer to find all the cookies and put them into a table or list. This saves you the trouble of having to dig around your hard drive to find the files yourself (try looking for a folder named "Cookies"). Many programs will also indicate with some degree of confidence whether a given cookie is wanted or unwanted, and provide a convenient way to delete the ones that you decide you don't want.
About the author:
Nick Smith is a client account specialist with http://www.10xMarketing.com- More Visitors. More purchaseers. More Revenue. For information about great software that helps delete cookies, check out http://www.contentwatch.com/features/delete-cookies.php
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