My System Journal

Using a Multiport Serial Card

May 27, 2009 – 10:41 am
A multiport serial card is installed in on the ISA or PCI bus of a PC. The card is helpful to the user because it provides many serial ports in the place of one, and so many computer users now use numerous external devices, such as video cameras, digital cameras, and scanners. Additionally, others use work-related equipment such as video-editing applications, faxes, or special printers for desktop publishing. At one time, serial cards were mainly used for connecting up many modems to serial ports. Today, several modems can now be built into an internal card. For this reason, multiport serial cards are not used as commonly as they were before. Each multiport card has a number of external connecters (DB-25 or RJ45) so that one may connect up a number of devices (modems, terminals, etc.). Each ...

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Benefits of EDMS

May 7, 2009 – 1:10 pm
If your business is drowning in paper, it might be time to look into purchasing an electronic document management system (EDMS) for your company. Advances in technology and programming mean that managing all of the important documents that you need to run your company is far easier than it ever was in the past. Choosing the right document management software can save your business both time and money, as well as reduce your footprint on the increasingly fragile environment. If you receive a multitude of documents via fax or mail, take a few minutes to consider all the benefits of having a system to transfer and store documents. Instead of having to print each and every document, distributing them around the office (or mailing them to other offices), and manually stored in bulky file cabinets, they can be distributed quickly and easily to anyone who has access to ...

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Buying a New Computer

February 4, 2009 – 11:29 am
Whether you're building a top-of-the-line home office, you're a gamer looking for a system that can handle the latest releases, or you simply need a machine that can play your music collection and browse the Internet, buying a new computer can be a confusing and expensive prospect. With so many companies and models out there, how do you know which one is right for you? Make sure you take some time to read up on the different specs so you know what you're buying. Likewise, devoting time to comparison shopping can help you save a tidy sum of money. See what coupon codes are available before you buy. With the right HP coupons and deals, you could end up saving hundreds on a new laptop or desktop. If you aren't committed to purchasing a particular brand, browse the selection at one of the ...

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NLP Therapy

November 25, 2008 – 11:39 am
NLP therapy programs exist for individuals who would like another approach to traditional therapy sessions. An NLP training course introduces the individual to techniques and approaches that are designed to bring about change and success in a relatively short period of time. The core belief behind these programs is adaptation. This means that people can only do the best that they can with the resources they have available at the time, and that the overall intention of a behavior is usually a positive one. So instead of focusing on the negative behavior, they find new ways to express the same intention. In addition to NLP therapy for the general public, a licensed therapist can also choose to learn NLP techniques for their own clients. NLP coaching can bring new insight into the work of an existing therapist or coach. NLP is geared to achieve results more quickly than typical therapy ...

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Changes in Timesheets Over the Years

July 25, 2008 – 11:13 am
If you work in an office in today's business world, chances are that you fill in some sort of timesheet for your payroll or human resources department.  While the concept of the timesheet was originally used by employers solely for payroll purposes, their scope has drastically increased over the years, thanks in part to the ease of organizing information in the digital age.  Many companies use timesheet software that is capable of recording a wide range of data.  Some companies keep track of the starting and ending times for certain tasks their employees perform.  Others simply record the duration.  Many times, more than simple numbers are taken into consideration.  A timesheet may include notes that detail the specific tasks accomplished during a time period or a project.  The information recorded in time and attendance software can be utilized for payroll, project management, and client billing purposes. Whether a business uses an ...

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December 18, 2007 – 11:12 am
From time to time I will be reviewing websites that I like and post them here. If you have an interesting website that you would like me to review, please contact me.

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LNG Trade Due for Changes with New Production, Technology

November 16, 2007 – 6:10 pm
GPR has heard that a pending flood of liquefied natural gas (LNG) to the U.S. has been in the works for years, but it has yet to materialize due to delays at the regas end of the chain here and higher netbacks elsewhere.Ian Salmon, principal at Featherwood Capital, explained at the Red River conference last week how some changes might be in the works as more LNG trains come online in producing countries, and shipping and transfer technology become more efficient. Featherwood Capital is an investment banker that has been involved in numerous LNG projects, both upstream and downstream. Five major producers now operate in the Atlantic basin: Nigeria, Trinidad & Tobago, Norway, Egypt and Algeria, which has volumes available from expiring contracts. New production is likely to begin hitting the market from Qatar, Egypt and Equatorial Guinea by the end of the year. Currently, more than 9 billion cfd of ...

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Arctic technology

November 16, 2007 – 6:09 pm
This month's technology focus centers on the industry push into arctic exploration and production opportunities. Like deepwater, arctic regions of the world are believed to hold enormous potential oil and gas reserves. And like deepwater, operating under arctic conditions brings its own set of technological challenges. As you will see, this month's issue of Offshore examines some of the solutions developed for arctic exploration. You'll want to look at all of them because tomorrow's headlines may well come from these frozen locations.Despite the challenges, operators are investing in arctic areas where resource estimates range into the hundreds of billion boe, says Leta K. Smith of IHS, who authored a special arctic overview this month. The arctic is a busy place again, but there has been a shift in the locus of activity, says Smith. Before 1980, Canada's Mackenzie Delta dominated, with 50% of the exploration wells drilled. Exploration drilling shifted to Russia, ...

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Siemens Sees Technology Upgrades Aiding Gasification Projects

November 16, 2007 – 6:05 pm
San Francisco - Ever since Siemens acquired the former Future Energy gasification technology from Sustec 15 months ago, it has been undertaking investigations on how to improve gasification for future applications."We need a 15-20% cost reduction to get the 'third wave' of IGCC [integrated gasification combined cycle] going," Siemens IGCC business development manager Harry Morehead told the Gasification Technologies Council 2007 conference here.Unfortunately, energy-project engineering, procurement & construction (EPC) costs are "skyrocketing," which has put a damper on several proposed IGCC projects, he noted.Meantime, development of "reference plants" (now underway) will help to trim the cost differential between IGCC and conventional pulverized-coal plants, he showed. But government incentives and stakeholder risk-sharing also are needed to push IGCC forward in the near-term, he added.What's more, carbon capture & storage (CCS) "has become a given for IGCC - a significant challenge," he said, since governments have yet to define a legal framework ...

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When Technology Overwhelms

November 16, 2007 – 6:02 pm
Recently I was involved in two hearings concerning repair information availability in the states of New Jersey and Massachusetts. Unlike many who comment on this topic, I am going to let you know where I sit, before I tell you where I stand.I firmly believe - because I practice it every day - that if you use the information that is available, you'll be successful repairing cars. I also believe that if more people in our industry took the time to strike compromises and learn from one another, the entire industry would be better served.Typical of these types of hearings, there were many presenters, many problems - some perceived, some real. Bottom line: Perception is reality if you cannot fix a car. Because I was presenting against legislation, I was not presenting problems. So don't take anything I am about to say as being in support of adding more laws ...

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