Social Networking

I am currently using facebook as my social networking providor. Although your not just limited to one social networking I havent opened up any accounts on twitter or myspace. I really don't use social networking as much. I know a few social networkis I wouldnt join is BlackPlanet.com I think I don't fit the requirements, Elftown this social networking site is based on sci-fi and fantasy-not really something I am interested in. Most social networking sites are specified to a particular area, but some such as facebook, myspace, and twitter are general sites where you can discuss pretty much anything. I think this is why these sites have grown to their sizes. Facebook tops off at 350,000,000 users. Of course above all these three have the most integration with other web-sites because of their popualrity that alone is a good benifit. Depending on where life takes me will decide which other social networking sites I would join. All these sites are useful in a way because you get to interact with individuals and discuss ideas with peers. Currently the only uses that i use this sites for is my school work such as this site and facebook to interact with my peers. Those social sites work and fit my needs for now. Withen an ever changing world my needs might change and i purse some other social networking sites.

E-mail Platforms

I currently use Hot-mail as my main e-mail. I have been thinking about changing over to google though. trying to integrate all my accounts into one main provider. Google mail has many features that are not provided by hotmail, although many features are the same. Such as a spam filter. A feature that I like is the search method with google mail. this allows you to search through your messages to find a particular message without scrolling around the inbox. The particular storage size of google is 4GB now far exceeding hotmails. Google also offers purchasable storage; as does hotmail. My main reason for wanting to change is that I already have a google account and I would like to be with all one provider. Eventually in the future I would like to use Outlook, maybe when i can afford to pay for it. That day might come when I own a business if my own and many features that outlook has would fit the needs of that.

Internet Browser and tools

I currently use internet Explorer 8 as my main internet browser. I am quite familiar with the functions and set-up. Their are several otherkinds of internet browsers out their such as AOL, Firefox, Safari, and Google chrome. a comparison of these browsers are available at HTTP://internet-browser-review.toptenteviews.com/ I have chosen to use internet explorer 8 becuase it fits alot of what i need. Easy access to search bar, favorites lists, tabbed browsing, security, pop-up blockers, good start-up speed, etc.

Media Applications

There are several Media applications out there sucha s editing tools and music/video players. Personally i don't use any of the editing software such as Avid, and windoes publisher. I do use windows media player to play most of my music files and videos downloaded onto the PC sometimes quickplayer. Winamp is also available online and i know many people who prefer to use this media player over others. It is available for free online from winamp.com. I have heard of image viewers and editors. I don't really use these applications much but adobe is one of the most widly used applications i also use adobe when transferring documents via e-mail as attachments. There are also several Video editing software avalabile, such as Sony creative software, Windows has their own version and there are many others available. Most of this software is used for editing home movies publishing them etc. Personally I don't use these softwares much, but hope to get into them at somepoint.

Productivity Suites

There are several Productivity suites available to my use. Such as smart suite, Star Office, System suite 8, and Microsoft Office professional 2007. For my new personal computer i choose to use Microsoft Office professional 2007 because I am quite familiar with the software and its functions. The cost of this software various depending on the types of applicaiton it contains. Personally I would choose the standard version of Offics 2007. Simply because the available applications fit the needs of my current lifesytle. I need to be able to create presentations for school and work using powerpoints, I keep track of my work inventory using excel, type papers using microsoft word, and send and receive e-mails using outlook. The rest of the applications are pointless to me and those systems can cost as much as $600. The standard set-up costs around $239.00.

Pop-up Blocker and Web filter

If you are already using Internet explorer 8 than there should be a pop-up blocker already installed within this software for free. Since I already have choosen to install Norton 360; this software comes with a pop-up blocker and a web filter integrated into the software. This software costs around $50 a year. I have explained through previous blogs why I have choosen this software over others. Mcafee also offers their own version of a web-filter and pop-up blocker seperate from their main virus protection software. This costs around $30 a year and I didn't choose this because it is not integrated with their main virus protection, which in-turn drives up the cost of the overall software protection. Norton protects against all possible phishing and mal-ware that could possibly harm your computer, really both of these softwares do. it regualry updates itself allowing the user to protect the PC from new forms of malware and spyware and other types that can slow the processing of information on the pc when useing the internet. Norton also offers the use of form-fill when ordering products on-line. which i like alot. They also offer a security to block people from accesing personal and financial information off your PC.

Spyware/Malware

For my personal computer i have selected Norton 360 as my virus protection and spyware/Malware protection. This software offers extensive support in these areas. They regulary update their software and send the updates to you. The cost is around $50 a year to keep updated. The software only works if you keep the account open with them and pay. Thats one downfall, but you never have to worry about not being protected. I don't really like to choose the free spyware/malware protection becasue I don't belive they are as trustworthy as the ones that you pay and they don't regularly update themselves to protect against new attacks. This software also comes with a web filter. (hints the name 360, it covers all degrees of possible infiringment on your computer) I decided to steer clear of using mcafee I don't like the fact that you have to install severall different forms of the softare to cover all your bases on the system. This in turn drives up the cost of the software overall; ranging from $50 to $75 a year. If you install all the different kinds of software though you can cover all the bases in protecting your system, but you have to access these through different windows which i don't like. Thats why i choose Norton 360.