About.com Internet for Beginners

Stop Cyberbullying in Three Steps

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 00:11:17 +0000

One of the dark sides of the World Wide Web is cyberbullying: when a cruel youngster follows someone online, and repeatedly posts hurtful and disparaging remarks to publicly or privately cause that person grief. The psychological pain of cyberbullying is every bit as real as regular bullying. About.com suggests three steps to combat cyberbullies... (photo by Getty Images)

Stop Cyberbullying in Three Steps originally appeared on About.com Internet for Beginners on Tuesday, November 24th, 2009 at 00:11:17.

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The Best Free Antivirus Software

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 17:05:50 +0000

Antivirus and antispyware software is a must-have. No self-respecting user should be surfing the Internet or checking email without having a trusted defender against computer viruses. But which antivirus software should a person choose? There are so many choices, both free and paid. Well, friends, there are a few choices that stand out. And of the free antivirus products out there, About.com writers are really fond of one in particular...

The Best Free Antivirus Software originally appeared on About.com Internet for Beginners on Monday, November 23rd, 2009 at 17:05:50.

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Hack Into Your Own PC

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 00:03:22 +0000

Forget your Windows password? Don't worry - several very effective tools exist to help you get back into your PC easily. No matter which free password cracking tool you use, you'll usually be able to regain access to your PC in just a few minutes. About.com explains how...
(photo by Getty Images)

Hack Into Your Own PC originally appeared on About.com Internet for Beginners on Monday, November 23rd, 2009 at 00:03:22.

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Human-Powered Search Engines

Sun, 22 Nov 2009 00:04:18 +0000

"Human-powered" search engines are known as "directories". The search results in a directory are hand-picked by an editorial team. The results are not nearly as voluminous as Google results, but the idea is quality over quantity. Here are some high-quality directories worth trying...

Human-Powered Search Engines originally appeared on About.com Internet for Beginners on Sunday, November 22nd, 2009 at 00:04:18.

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What Is 'Jumping the Shark'? What Does This Expression Mean?

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 11:31:18 +0000

In an online discussion forum, you see the odd phrase "This health care bill debate has jumped the shark. I'm outta here!" You have seen this expression in an email as well. But what exactly does it mean to 'jump the shark'? Well, friends, 'jumping the shark' and its sister expression 'nuking the fridge' are both negative colloquialisms. About.com explains the shark jumping expression here...
(photo by Altrendo / Getty Images)

What Is 'Jumping the Shark'? What Does This Expression Mean? originally appeared on About.com Internet for Beginners on Thursday, November 19th, 2009 at 11:31:18.

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The Top 10 Internet Moments of the Decade

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 02:23:51 +0000

According to the Webby Awards, there are several pivotal events that influenced the last 10 years of Internet culture. These moments include: the IPO of Google, the opening of Facebook to the general public, the end of Napster, the start of YouTube, and several other Internet events. Doug Gross of CNN.com takes us on a quick tour of these 10 big Internet moments of the last decade...
(photo by Peter Macdermid / Getty Images)

The Top 10 Internet Moments of the Decade originally appeared on About.com Internet for Beginners on Thursday, November 19th, 2009 at 02:23:51.

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What Is 'Port Forwarding'? How Do I Port Forward to Speed Up My Downloads?

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:02:17 +0000

So you are new to computer gaming and P2P downloading. You've heard about 'port forwarding', and how it can dramatically speed up your Internet connection. But what exactly is port forwarding? And how can you get step-by-step help in programming port forwards? About.com explains port forwarding here...

(image by Illustration Works/ Getty Images)

What Is 'Port Forwarding'? How Do I Port Forward to Speed Up My Downloads? originally appeared on About.com Internet for Beginners on Thursday, November 19th, 2009 at 00:02:17.

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What Exactly Is 'VoIP'?

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 00:20:49 +0000

You see the local advertisements offering VoIP phone service for $20 a month. Long distance calls are almost free, and you're curious enough to research it more. So what exactly is Voice over IP? About.com explains VoIP basics, and how to get started using it....(photo by Photographer's Choice / Getty Images)

What Exactly Is 'VoIP'? originally appeared on About.com Internet for Beginners on Tuesday, November 17th, 2009 at 00:20:49.

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How Hackers Hack

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 00:34:09 +0000

At the conceptual level, hacking is pretty straightforward. To attack personal computers through modems, for example, a hacker will start by scanning for vulnerable systems. They may use "demon dialers" or "wardialers" to make repetitive phone calls to modems on the public Internet. To find DSL or cable openings, hackers will use port-scanner programs that repeatedly "ping" IP addresses of networked systems to see if there are openings. Then, hackers will do all sorts of things next...
(Photo by Dave Martin / Getty Images)

How Hackers Hack originally appeared on About.com Internet for Beginners on Saturday, November 14th, 2009 at 00:34:09.

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What is a Keylogger Trojan?

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 00:06:01 +0000

Keyloggers are robot spies. Either employed by hackers, or by a suspicious spouse or parent, a keylogger trojan is a small bit of software that observes what you type on your keyboard. It records your passwords, email text, and your private messaging. Theft, or punishment, will often follow next. About.com explains keylogger trojans here...

What is a Keylogger Trojan? originally appeared on About.com Internet for Beginners on Wednesday, November 11th, 2009 at 00:06:01.

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