Canceling Your Credit Card Damages Your Credit

A big part of managing your credit is understanding what helps and hurts your credit score. If you have a good grant of these things, you can slowly build the type of score that creates opportunities for you and saves you lots of money through lower interest rates on major purchases, such as homes and cars. There's a lot of misinformation out there about credit scores, and one of the more common pieces of misinformation is that canceling old or other unnecessary credit cards will help your score. That's not necessarily true - here's why:

You want your debt-to-credit ratio to work for rather than against your score. Your debt-to-credit ratio is the amount of available debt you're currently using divided by the total amount of available credit. This ratio tends to help your score if you use less than half of your total available credit. When you cancel a card, you're removing the credit limit on that card from your available credit.

To better illustrate this point, let's say that you have a balance of $ 5,000 on a credit card with a credit limit of $ 10,000. Five thousand divided by ten thousand equals a debt-to-credit ratio of 50 percent. This can help your credit score , but if you purchase a new refrigerator by charging $ 1,000 on the same card, your debt-to-credit ratio climbs to 60 percent and starts working against your score. If you max out that card, the percentage goes up to 100, which can really hurt your score.

In addition, your debt-to-credit ratio works the same way across all credit accounts. The credit bureaus look at your aggregate credit limit and how much of the total limit you are currently using; and if it's at 50 percent or lower, it's helping your score. If your ratio is anything over 50 percent, lenders start to get itchy about your risk of default. Lenders are itchy by nature, so you do not want to further provoke their capacity for itchiness by going over 50 percent.

When you cancel a credit card or merchant card that you never use anymore, you're reducing your amount of available credit. To keep these credit limits active, use them every once in a while; just be sure to pay them off quickly. (If you do not use a card, the issuer will ever cancel it anyway.)

Hopefully, this has dispelled one of the more common myths about credit scores and canceling credit cards. Hold on to those lines of credit, use them occasionally, and pay them off immediately, and they'll keep working for your score.

How Notebooks are Different than Desktop PCs

Laptops are different from desks in the following ways;

Power supply: As desks can be plugged in an outlet in the wall (AC Power) so can laptops with an AC adapter. But how a laptop is different from a desktop is that it is portable because batteries can also power laptops. The batteries are rechargeable; lithium, nickel-cadmium, or nickel-metal hydride.

Display: Also like desks, laptops have some type of LCD display screen. Modern Laptops have 800 x 600 pixel resolution. This gives it a very clear screen and anything less should be avoided.

Input Devices: On a desktop computer you typically use a mouse and keyboard to enter data and navigate. With laptops keyboards are built in but since they are portable so they do not have a mouse. Instead they have one of three input devices in place of the mouse. A trackball, rotating the ball allows you to move the cursor. A trackpoint allows you to push your finger over the point to move the cursor. Lastly, a laptop may have a touchpad that you move your finger across to move the cursor.

Docking Connections: Many laptops come with a docking connection to make it more comfortable to use at a desk. You just plug your laptop in and use it as a desktop. The docking station comes with many peripheral devices: full size computer monitor, full size keyboard and mouse, disk drives and printer.

Thanks for reading

iSCSI Software

iSCSI software is the type of software used in network storage where iSCSI protocol is used. The basic storage network which deploys iSCSI is storage area network (SAN). iSCSI software enables the devices to become connected to the network, share storage space and have access to the data stored on storage servers.

There can be two sets of devices which are in the network. The first are iSCSI initiators - the appliances which send SCSI commands and initiate the contact. The other are iSCSI targets - the devices which receive the commands sent by the iSCSI initiator. Therefore, depending on the status of the device, it will require special iSCSI software - for initiators, for targets or both, since one device can sometimes perform both roles. In the case of iSCSI software for initiators we can have the system initiator. It is a special service running in the operation system. Windows Vista and Windows 2008 are already equipped with iSCSI software for initiator, you only have to select it. In Windows XP and Windows 2003 you can download iSCSI initiator from Microsoft pages and install it. As far as targets are concerned there are also two possibilities.

Many of the modern popular server operating systems can provide iSCSI software with target functionality - either as a built-in application or with supplementary software. They are: BSD, Linux, Solaris or Windows Server. Although Windows Storage Server 2003 R2 is not sold separately, you can buy a hardware on which it is running as the original equipment manufacturer. Such Server are offered by such producers as DELL, HP, IBM or Fujitsu Siemens. An alternative will be a specific-purpose operating system that implement iSCSI target support. The examples of such systems are FreeNAS, Openfiler or FreeSiOS. The example of target iSCSI software offered by third companies is StarWind, which can be installed even on Windows XP and provides all necessary functionality for smaller uses. An interesting solution in StarWind is the virtualization functionality, which can provide access not only to the whole drive, but also emulate the drive by means of a file, whose size can be dynamically expanded.

The storage facilities of the users are consolidated into a data center. A storage system using iSCSI can have many iSCSI targets for a number of clients. Therefore, iSCSI can enable location-independent data storage. The protection of the data and its retrieval is also strongly associated with this type of networking, since iSCSI allows for more efficient data management and disaster recovery by means of storage software.

5 Things You Can Do To Avoid Computer Repair Problems

We take our computers, laptops, and other such devices for granted, but these are just like any other electronics and sooner or later develop some sort of issues, which require repair.

In many cases, the nature of the problem may be small, but you need to get it right before it turns into a bigger problem. However, you can apply a number of easy techniques to avoid computer repair problems in future.

Let's check out a few tips that can help you to stay ahead in maintaining your computer or other similar devices.

• Make A List Of The Symptoms

When your PC starts showing any kind of operational issues, you will be appeared with particular error messages. These error message should be composed along alternate symptoms and disappointments confronted by you.

You may not be able to figure out the correct nature and reason of the PC problem because of their technical nature, yet when you catch these points of interest in a detailed and despite way, then it will help the expert to recognize and take care of the issue rapidly. So you should observe the PC issue and note it down properly.

• Get The Telephone Services

Sometimes it is impractical to visit a PC repair shop because of its far location or because of your busy work routine. So you have to investigate the remote consultation services that offer help to repair the PC. You can get the numbers from the official website of the company.

• Make Notes The Repair Process

When you are giving over your PC to the onsite computer repairs center, you should make a point to gather reports from the organization specifying the particular PC equipment or programming that should be replaced along the correct time needed to repair the PC. It is likewise vital to approach the organization for post repair guarantee. This basic documentation technique will help you to save some extra costs or charges.

• Prepare The Computer For Repairing

Before you choose to give the PC for repair, you need to backup all the critical data on the PC including serial number of the PC hard disk, modem's serial number, and serial number CD-ROM and different parts of the computer.

When you get the PC from the computer repairs and fix center then these details will help in verifying your computer. Further, you have to delete a wide range of personal and classified information from the PC before giving it for repair.

• Talk About Exchanging The PC At A Discounted Price

If you have one of the older models of the PC, the PC parts needed may not be available because of the model being out of production or guarantee period. In such cases, you can consider the exchange offers available to replace the current PC with another one by paying a discounted amount. There are no particular rates of exchange, so you need to negotiate with the buyer and see what you can get in return.

Mindfulness: The Most Important Trading Psychology Skill for Traders

Of all the mental skills a trader can learn, mindfulness is sometimes the most important trading psychology skill.

Mindfulness comes from ancient, eastern traditions associated with Buddhism and Yoga. Although people associate mindfulness with spiritual practices, it is a practical mental skill from which everyone can benefit. It is changing the landscape of western psychology. For traders, mindfulness has numerous, important benefits.

Exciting Research on Practicing Mindfulness

New scientific research shows mindfulness practice can actually alter brain structure. Researchers studied the brain's gray matter to see whether or not it changed after practicing mindfulness. Those who practiced mindfulness for just 30 minutes a day over 8 weeks had significant changes in the hippocampus and amygdala regions of the brain. These are the brain areas involved in learning and memory, emotional regulation, and perspective taking.

This is the first time research has shown physical brain changes due to mindfulness practice.

What Mindfulness Means For Traders

There are many advantages mindfulness can bring to traders:

We can read the market better when mindful. Mindfulness promotes improved concentration and attention. As the brain research shows, it also improves memory and helps in learning. Traders can help themselves in better reading and understanding the complex patterns and movements of the market by practicing mindfulness.

Reduces emotional trading. Mindfulness helps us regulate emotions. The current research tells us that the brain's emotional center is positively influenced by mindfulness practice. Through mindfulness, we can become inoculated against emotional trading and emotional hijackings - the bane of consistent trading. This is a big plus for traders.

Develop a consistent, accurate perspective. We stay present when mindful. We see reality clearly. Past events (recency bias) or projections about the future are less likely to affect trading. Distracting thoughts that cause poor trading behaviors such as hesitating to take a trade and cutting winners short can become less influential - eg, "My last three trades were losers; I better sit this one out" (past event) or "This trade looks like it could go against me, I better get out "(projection of the future). Mindfulness can help us develop the perspective that what the mind is saying is unrelated to a trade's expectation and often unrelated to what ultimately happens in the market.

Developing Your Mindfulness Practice

Start by setting aside 5 to 10 minutes a day; increase the time with practice.

• Sit quietly and simply watch your breath. Pay attention to your belly rising and falling or the air flow across the tips of your nostrils
• Notice how the mind wanders repeatedly. It will slip into the past or the future. Gently return the mind to the breath and the present.
• Notice how you feel afterword.

Legal Considerations When Planning Events

You've booked the speaker, hired a hall, recruited a team of volunteers and prepared a marketing plan. If that was not enough, you must also ensure your event does not fall foul of various legal issues. Exact event legal requirements vary from place to place and the rules that apply depend on the type of event. The list below points out the major issues you need to think about, but you should also take advice from the administrator of the organization (s) involved in your event. If you're not sure about any of these items you can discuss them with your venue, as they should have experience with them.

Premises License

If you are going to invite the public to see a play, watch a film, or listen to live or recorded music, or something similar, you need to do so in concessions that are correctly licensed. The license will determine exactly what activities are permitted and between what hours. Do not assume you can have a concert run beyond 11pm without checking the license permits it. If the promises do not have the correct license you can get what's called a Temporary Event Notice, which is effectively a short-term license. For more information contact your local council.

Serving Alcohol

Selling or supplying alcohol is also regulated by the concessions license. Not only do you need to have the correct license arrangement in place, you also need to ensure someone present is a Personal License Holder. The penalies for breaking the rules around the supply of alcohol can be very severe so take great care in this area.

Health & Safety Requirements

It's essential to understand who is responsible for health and safety matters and to perform the correct risk assessments.

The venue will be responsible for concessions-related health and safety, such as trip hazards from worn flooring, or emergency evacuation. But event organizers take responsibility for event equipment, such as trip hazards from power cables for speakers or other equipment bought into the venue.

You will need to perform risk assessments and document them. Think about what sort of things might go wrong and the possible outcomes.

Public Liability Insurance

You need to have public liability insurance in place for your event. What happens if an elderly visitor to your event slips in the car park and breaks their leg? Or if a piece of equipment falls on someone and injures them? These things do happen so you need to have the right insurance in place. Liaise with your gateway to see what is covered by their insurance, and what is not.

Noise Levels

Usually you will only have issues with volume if your event features a particular loud band or will take place late in the evening. Some concessions are subject to noise abatement orders, meaning they're legally bound to measure noise and keep it below a certain level. Other promises need to give due care and attention to their neighbors.

Disabled Access.

All newer promotions are required to provide full access and facilities for disabled people, but older concessions are not. Event organizers do not have to ensure access for disabled people, but it's good practice to do so wherever possible. Where it's not possible the publicity should point this out.

Food Hygiene

If you are serving food to the public it needs to have been prepared and stored in accordance with food hygiene regulations. Someone with a food hygiene certificate should take responsibility for managing the catering.Premises that are regularly used for food preparation are inspected by the local council from time to time.

Parking

If you are planning a major event and do expect to have enough car parking space it is wise to talk to the police about what other arrangements might be possible. If you need to keep kerbsides clear on certain roads you can hire traffic cones from the Police for this purpose.

Child Protection

Your organization should have a Child Protection Policy and your event should comply with this. If it does not, or if this is a privately organized function, you need to be aware of child protection issues. At the very least any volunteers working with children must have had a Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) check.

SAP Business One

My experience with SAP Business One

Before I share my experience; with SAP Business One as a software product; Let me share why I chose SAP Business One. With over 19 years of experience in IT and over 9 years in International Business Development, I thought my career was becoming monotonous. I felt a need to specialize in either a product or a vertical. However, it was not easy to make a choice. It was then; a close friend & an ex-colleague introduced me to SAP Business One. I already had fairly sound exposure to SAP R / 3 & the company (SAP, AG); & hence my choice was obvious.

Why does anyone select SAP?

The company is an unchallenged leader in ERP segment.

SAP has one of the best-packaged software product ranges.

SAP's line of business is just ERP.

SAP's Commitment to Customer:

Their products are continuously upgraded.

They have a fantastic support mechanism.

I have not had any exposure, per say, to any other products in the same segment, but I knew I was making the right choice.

As I started exploring & using SAP Business One more & more, I realized that there are certain outstanding features, which enable you to achieve great results without using the coding route. The feature I like the most is User Defined Fields (UDF) & especially the combination of UDF and Formatted Search. You can literally map almost any complex process in your logistics and achieve a result through a work around by using these features. I always advise my customers and also my team, to stretch the application to its optimum level before you go the coding way. The beauty is that even the users or functional consultants (without any coding knowledge) can create user defined fields or tables.

Now let me share some real life experiences,

Methodology:
• The implementation team should make sure that kick-off meeting should highlight and define the involvement and commitment from the customer rather than technical intracies of the business processes or the product.
• Get as much details of customer's business processes as possible. Get down to the document level and field level. If the customer is a little worried about confidentiality, go ahead and sign an NDA or mention the option of blank forms.
• Once the solution is ready, demonstrate the solution to the customer and spend time with all the key users till they understand and ask them to enter a few real life transactions while you are onsite.
• If there are any suggestions, make revisions and install the solution as a Training company. Request the customer's project coordinator to follow the mantra of Practice! Practice !! AND More Practice !!!
• These typically are conference room pilots, which ensure that there are no last moment surprises.

ERP & Business Process Reengineering
• Any ERP implementation gives you a good chance to refine / re-define your existing processes; provided you look at it with an open mind. I have seen lots of companies deriving huge benefits just by following "Best Practices" recommended by SAP.
• The obvious advantage the customer gets is the productivity of the staff and their time is utilized in actual work like follow-up with customers or vendors rather than manipulating figures in half automated programs.
• You can also get rid of lot of data redundancies. You may not have deal with some vendors for years or some items may not be in use any more. You can re-look at Item or Customer codifications to make it more logical or trim-down the Items list with proper classifications. Possibilities are many.

Customized Vs. Ready product
• As mentioned earlier, it is very important to set the expectations of the customer right, explain to them the realities and how their existing business processes will get mapped "one-on-one" with the product.
• It's better that the users start using the product much before going live. This gives them time to familiarize themselves with the new environment and know the features of the software that are related to their work responsibilities.
• Emphasize that the customer will derive the benefits over a period and that the solution will evolve as they get ideas about various report opportunities and new features through new releases, updates & add-ons.

Education to customer
• ERP implementation is beyond a customer & vendor relationship. Customer's role does not end after placing an order with the implementation partner. In fact the customer has to be an active facilitator.
• Customer should make sure that relevant resources are available as and when required and the CEOs or the Department Heads should ensure active involvement of relevant staff members / users.
• Delays can be avoided when the Implementation partner commits the resources (team) and the customer provides data / information or feedback (or sign offs) on time.

Some of the challenges we faced:
• I had never imagined a "Remote ERP Implementation" that too for overseas customers. Initial projects were nightmares due to obvious facts such as difference in time zones, limited "Onsite" component (& hence communication with the customer), etc. However, specifically defined Implementation Methodologies and SAP's recommendations helped a lot.
• The biggest challenge and uninteresting (for me at least) part is data uploads. SAP Business One has a robust tool called Data Transfer Workbench (DTW). However, if it has to be robust, naturally it has to be strictly rule based. End users may not understand the "Technical Templates" and we sent lots of time cleaning up the data literally wasting time and ending up with delays in delivery and go-live. The easiest solution we found was creating our own templates to be submitted to the customer and then copy and paste the data into DTW's templates.

Hope this helps ERP aspirants including companies wanting to implement an ERP and professionals wanting to get into ERP world.

The author is Practice Head for SAP Business One with Tandon Information Solutions and can be reached at vkulkarni@tandoninfo.com .

Visit: http://www.tandoninfo.com