Text Etiquette –Obey why don’t you!

Sourced from a fellow blogger... and shamelessly pillaged and plagiarized! (Seriously, the source link is provided below J)

1. Put your phone on vibrate or silent mode when texting back and forth with someone. Everyone doesn't need to hear your favorite ringtone every time you get a text.
   
2. Check the recipient's number one last time BEFORE you hit "send." A slip of the finger could easily send a wrong person that intimate message intended for your significant other.
   
3. Take precautions to protect private or personal text messages since you never know who might be snooping. While a high percentage of people lower their voices when they talk on their cell phones in public, a few actually shield their cell phone when sending or receiving text messages.
   
4. Beware of texting when out with friends. It's disrespectful and can give the impression that you aren't paying attention to the conversation.
   
5. If you are expecting a text message let the people you're with know.
   
6. Don't get into the habit of marathon texting. if you need to use more than 150 characters to go back and forth more than two or three times send and email or call.
   
7. Avoid using text-message speak, abbreviations or emoticons since not everyone may know what you mean. Especially when texting work colleagues, use correct capitalization (And remember ALL CAPS EQUAL YELLING), punctuation, salutations and closings, and proofread for both spelling and grammar.
   

 

I'm sure there are a few more that others might have. So, please feel free to add more to this if you want.

Source: Dmitri

Heaven_and_Hell

Heaven_and_Hell
Originally uploaded by oracle_from_beyond

Thank you, beyond.

Mysteries of WiFi Resolved!

Here we go! Read on as we delve into the mysteries of WiFi, that wonderful set of wireless standards that lets us do so much online, both locally via LAN and widely via the Internet.

The full set of WiFi Wireless Standards is: 802.11b, 802.11a, 802.11g and 802.11n.

 

The Wonderful Wireless LAN (Local Area Network)

The WiFi enabled LAN has revolutionized the home and business network. In order to thread your way through the minefield it will help to realize that the accepted series of standards that have evolved over the years since Vic Hayes, and others, gave birth to WiFi in the early 90s the evolution was fast and furious. We now have four and with time we will undoubtedly see yet further enhancement. For greater and more in-depth discussion visit the Wiki article which I have read and is excellent. The generally accepted list of conforming WiFi technologies are the four listed above. There are other related forms of wireless such as Bluetooth which is an alternative wireless network technology that followed a different development path than the 802.11 family. Bluetooth supports a very short range (approximately 10 meters) and relatively low bandwidth (1-3 Mbps in practice). It is designed for low-power network devices like handhelds. The low manufacturing cost of Bluetooth hardware also appeals to industry vendors. You can usually find Bluetooth in the networking of PDAs or cell phones with PCs, but it is rarely used for general-purpose WLAN networking due to the range and speed considerations. Another alternative is WiMax, developed separately from Wi-Fi, WiMax is used for long-range networking (spanning miles or kilometers) as opposed to local area wireless networking.

 

802.11 –Where it started

In 1997, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) created the first WLAN standard. They called it 802.11 after the name of the group formed to oversee its development. Unfortunately, 802.11 only supported a maximum network bandwidth of 2 Mbps - too slow for most applications. For this reason, ordinary 802.11 wireless products are no longer manufactured.

 

802.11b –WiFi becomes Useful

IEEE expanded on the original 802.11 standard in July 1999, creating the 802.11b specification. 802.11b supports bandwidth up to 11 Mbps, comparable to traditional Ethernet.

802.11b uses the same unregulated radio signaling frequency (2.4 GHz) as the original 802.11 standard. Vendors often prefer using these frequencies to lower their production costs. Being unregulated, 802.11b gear can incur interference from microwave ovens, cordless phones, and other appliances using the same 2.4 GHz range. However, by installing 802.11b gear a reasonable distance from other appliances, interference can easily be avoided.

In Summary:

1. Pro 802.11b - lowest cost; signal range is good and not easily obstructed
   
2. Con 802.11b - slowest maximum speed; home appliances may interfere on the unregulated frequency band
   

 

802.11a – The Confusing Standard

While 802.11b was in development, IEEE created a second extension to the original 802.11 standard called 802.11a. Because 802.11b gained in popularity much faster than did 802.11a, some folks believe that 802.11a was created after 802.11b. In fact, 802.11a was created at the same time. Due to its higher cost, 802.11a is usually found on business networks whereas 802.11b better serves the home market.

802.11a supports bandwidth up to 54 Mbps and signals in a regulated frequency spectrum around 5 GHz. This higher frequency compared to 802.11b shortens the range of 802.11a networks. The higher frequency also means 802.11a signals have more difficulty penetrating walls and other obstructions.

Together But No Unity: You've heard the truism,
'Two cats tied by their tails are together, but definitely NOT in unity!' Because 802.11a and 802.11b utilize different frequencies, the two technologies are incompatible with each other. Some vendors offer hybrid 802.11a/b network gear, but these products merely implement the two standards side by side (each connected devices must use one or the other).

In Summary:

1. Pro of 802.11a - fast maximum speed; regulated frequencies prevent signal interference from other devices
   
2. Con of 802.11a - highest cost; shorter range signal that is more easily obstructed
   

 

802.11g – We're getting somewhere now

In 2002 and 2003, WLAN products supporting a newer standard called 802.11g emerged on the market. 802.11g attempts to combine the best of both 802.11a and 802.11b. 802.11g supports bandwidth up to 54 Mbps, and it uses the 2.4 Ghz frequency for greater range. 802.11g is backwards compatible with 802.11b, meaning that 802.11g access points will work with 802.11b wireless network adapters and vice versa.

In Summary:

1. Pro of 802.11g - fast maximum speed; signal range is good and not easily obstructed
   
2. Con of 802.11g - costs more than 802.11b; appliances may interfere on the unregulated signal frequency
   

 

802.11n – In Search of Perfection

The newest IEEE standard in the Wi-Fi category is 802.11n. It was designed to improve on 802.11g in the amount of bandwidth supported by utilizing multiple wireless signals and antennas (called MIMO technology) instead of one.

When this standard is finalized, 802.11n connections should support data rates of over 100 Mbps. 802.11n also offers somewhat better range over earlier Wi-Fi standards due to its increased signal intensity. 802.11n equipment will be backward compatible with 802.11g gear.

In Summary:

1. Pro of 802.11n - fastest maximum speed and best signal range; more resistant to signal interference from outside sources
   
2. Con of 802.11n - standard is not yet finalized; costs more than 802.11g; the use of multiple signals may greatly interfere with nearby 802.11b/g based networks.
   

 

There are other IEEE 802.11 standards such as 802.11h and 802.11j. These are extensions or offshoots of Wi-Fi technology that serve specific purposes not generally used in normal work-a-day wireless networking situations.

For a full list of WiFi Standards and to read more click this link.

Sailing Christopher Cross (Tall Sailing Ships)

Isn't the Internet wonderful? Here is something truly beautiful for all to enjoy. Thank you Christopher Cross.