A Beginner’s Guide to Web Hosting

Posted by admin on June 11th, 2008 — Posted in Lots Of Web Resources

What is web hosting? Whenever you visit a website, what you see on your web browser is essentially just a web page that is downloaded from the web server onto your web browser. In general, a web site is made up of many web pages. And a web page is basically composed of texts and graphic images. All these web pages need to be stored on the web servers so that online users can visit your website.

Therefore, if you plan to own a new website, you will need to host your website on a web server. When your website goes live on the web server, online users can then browse your website on the Internet. Company that provides the web servers to host your website is called web hosting providers.

A well-established web hosting provider sometimes hosts up to thousands of websites. For example, iPowerWeb is a popular web hosting company that hosts more than 300,000 websites. For that reason, a web hosting company need many web servers (essentially, these are computers) to ’store’ the website. And all these web servers are connected to the Internet through high speed Internet connection and housed in a physical building called ‘data center’. In order to guarantee all the web servers are safe, secure and fully operational all time, a data center is a physically secure 24/7 environment with fire protection, HVAC temperature control, virus detections, computer data backup, redundant power backup and complete disaster recovery capabilities.

What are the different types of web hosting?
There are different kinds of web hosting companies out there with different characteristics. The main types of web hosts can be organized into the following categories:

Shared Hosting

In shared hosting (also known as virtual web hosting), many websites are sharing the space on the same physical web servers. Depending on the web host, a physical web server can hosts a few hundred to even thousand of different websites at one time. You may wonder if a physical web server is shared by so many websites, will the performance of the web server deteriorate? In fact, web servers are usually equipped with high-end powerful computer, therefore it can support up to a certain number of websites without any problem. But when the web server is overloaded and exceeded the reasonable number of websites that it can support, then you will begin to experience a slower response from the web server.

However, a reputable and experience web hosting provider will constantly monitor the performance of the web server and will add new web servers when deem necessary without sacrificing the benefits of the website owners. Since a physical web server is shared (diskspace, computer processing power, bandwidth, memory) by many websites, the web hosting provider can therefore afford to offer a lower hosting price. For the same reason, websites on the shared hosting would have to accept slower server response time. Typically, shared hosting plans start at $5 - $20 per month.

Dedicated Hosting

In contrast to shared hosting, dedicated hosting assigned a specific web server to be used only by one customer. Since a dedicated web server is allocated to only a single customer, the customer has the option to host single/multiple web sites, modify the software configuration, handle greater site traffic and scale the bandwidth as necessary. Therefore, dedicated hosting commands a higher premium and typically starts at $50 per month and can range up to $200 - $500 per month. As a result, dedicated hosting is regularly used by high traffic and extremely important website.

Co-location hosting

In dedicated hosting, the web server belongs to the web hosting providers and customers only rent the web server during the hosting period. While in co-location hosting, the customer owns the web server hardware and only housed their web server within the web hosting provider’s secure data center. In this way, the customer has full control over their web server and simultaneously benefit from the 24/7 server monitoring and maintenance provided by the secure data center. Depending on the monthly bandwidth and rack space required, typically co-location hosting range from $500 - $1000 per month.

Reseller hosting

In reseller hosting, a web hosting provider offers web server storage to third-party (i.e. reseller) at a discount price, who then resell the web server storage to their customers. Typically, resellers are web consultants including web designers, web developers, or system integration company who resell the web hosting as a add-on service to complement their other range of services. Commonly, resellers can receive up to 50 percent discount on the price of a hosting account from the web hosting provider. And resellers are allowed to decide its own pricing structure and even establish its own branding (in other words, reseller setup its web hosting company on the Internet and start selling web hosting plans under its brand).

To the reseller’s customers, the reseller is the web host provider. In cases when technical problems such as server down and access problem arise, the resellers will have to correspond directly with the actual web host provider. Due to the communication process taken place between customer to reseller and from reseller to actual web host provider and back and forth, undoubtedly problems will take longer time to resolve. Unless you are running your own personal website or non-profit website and willing to take the risks of poor support from the reseller, reseller hosting is generally not a good option.

However, the web hosting market today is filled with resellers that sell lowest price web hosting plans. So, how do you tell between a genuine web hosting provider from a reseller? You don’t judge by the availability of toll-free number alone because some web hosting providers even offer their resellers with their own toll-free number for co-branded technical support. When the reseller’s customer calls the number for technical support, the web host uses the reseller’s name so the customer thinks that the support is coming from the reseller directly. Likewise, don’t be fooled by the professional designed website alone because it is extremely easy to create a professional looked business website nowadays.

In general, resellers can be distinguished from their hosting price and company information. In most cases, a genuine web hosting provider has solid company information such as iPowerWeb.com where they publish its financial background, offices and data centers. In contrast, resellers usually do not have solid company background (here is just an example out of thousands out there). Moreover, the hosting price by resellers is generally below $5 per month. So, why settle for resellers when you can find genuine web hosting providers offering superb quality web hosting at the hosting price ranging between $7 - $10.

Therefore, you should not strive to find the cheap web hosting companies without first considering the quality of the service and support provided. Don’t expect to find any top-level support if you choose to pay only $2 or $3 per months for your web hosting plan. On the other hand, by paying just slightly more for your hosting plan, you can now discover a list of low cost yet high quality web hosting plans to host your important website. Look at our high quality and cheap web hosting review and recommendation at http://www.lowest-price-web-hosting.com/top5.shtml

Andrew Loh is the owner of Cheap Web Hosting, a website that provide complete and detailed review of cheap web hosting reviews. Visit his website at: http://www.lowest-price-web-hosting.com

Join in the Charm of Radio Operated Vehicles

Posted by admin on June 10th, 2008 — Posted in Living In Leisure, The Shoppers Way

A remote operated car is made up of a remote and the model vehicle. By turning or pushing the controls up or down and left or right, the handler is able to let it go in several directions.

There are scores of different types of designs out there at great discounts in the consumer marketplace. The entry level replicas can only move a few feet. Shoppers that hunger to experience the 100% genuine deal would be advised to obtain the radio control model that needs to be custom-made and customised.

Radio operated toys are sorted either as electric operated or as nitro powered. The critical attribute regarding models that utilise an electric engine is that the battery element can just be recharged. Those that make us of fuel will need to be refuelled as well as greased after a specific period of time, which is incredibly identical to standard road vehicles. If you’re looking to entertain your kids this summer, then Toy-Shopper.co.uk has amazing deals on Star Wars Nikko R2-D2 Projector.

These types of toys are regularly driven by kids & adults of diverse ages. Particular specialist department stores have radio controlled vehicles similar to those seen in NASCAR as well as monster trucks that are repeatedly seen in the destruction derby. This merely shows that people are able to enjoy remote controlled vehicles both on and off the road.

Do these splendid toys require plenty of care? Yes they can. The owner would be recommended to examine the battery unit, the shock absorbers and the tires frequently. This will certify that the vehicle is able to uphold its pace and efficiency each and every occasion it’s sent to the race circuit.

The hobbyist ought to be aware that not all of the machinery can be fixed. This is down to toy firms designing their vehicles to operate only up until the mechanisms merely break. Shoppers that wish to enjoy the radio control vehicle will somehow need to change the mechanisms, nevertheless this can every now and then be hard to locate.

Radio controlled toys don’t purely relate to cars. There are also countless planes, ships and helicopters to stumble upon in the toy store.

Both parents and children alike who are interested and have never done this previously in all probability stick to the entry level model(s) then just upgrade later on if the individual is in fact serious with it & wants to take part in official toy car competitions regularly.

Garden Direct Tools For Your Garden

Posted by admin on June 9th, 2008 — Posted in Beyond Cats

Because www.gardendirect.co.uk was created during 1996 it has quickly become one of the current profitable mail order stockists of garden sheds. Within the recent twelve years that they have been selling www.gardendirect.co.uk now have 2 million clients who have been pulled in through the best convenience, the greatest costs, the best value for money and it’s consistently high quality garden and house plants. www.gardendirect.co.uk’s stock are so different; they are regularly appreciated for their peculiar flower types which are also continually added to the current range, that of course includes garden sheds and add ons to help customers to create the very greatest for their well kept garden. www.gardendirect.co.uk sell beyond 130 million very good quality flower plants each and every year, the huge majority matured at www.gardendirect.co.uk’s own farm, this enables one to be positive about one’s purchase & be sure that what folk have ordered are of the very best standard.

GardenDirect.co.uk also offers the choice of a catalogue for one to inspect through or perhaps buy from in your own time. GardenDirect.co.uk have a top variety from classic favourites to further extraordinary types you might well not find located in the majority of garden outlets; the catalogue may furthermore comprise a list of seasonal offers as well. The online store have particular options of flowers which you could find within Garden Direct’s site. Folk might often either go for a plug, ready or super seeding. All of which are altogether variant, plug flower plants, sold at 4-6cm tall in a plug of compost the aforementioned properties can be found the best excellent value for money, you then have the taller set flower plants that are supplied at 6-8cm high and being further older may be planted direct into your garden, last but not least you have super flower plants these are idyllic for people who have less time to spare, supplied 9-11cm tall they additionally can be directly planted into your precious garden. As mentioned, Garden Direct offer a wide range of products for gardening, if you are looking to buy a garden shed online, the Garden Direct site is worth a visit.

Along with shrub plants the online shop have the everyday garden products that you might purchase; the above mentioned consist of gardening tools, garden sheds and gardening shears along with many others.

Child Care Business Plan

Posted by admin on June 8th, 2008 — Posted in Enterprise

It is common to bump into an entrepreneur hunting for a childcare business plan since this market segment is growing and is highly lucrative. Find one here that focuses on your business strategy and mentions unique points to score above the competition. Let the plan aim to provide “high quality childcare” to the families with young children. The potential clients can have very high expectations in their definition of ‘high quality childcare.’ So in your child care business plan elaborate that the facility will provide a nurturing environment that encourages the growth of self-esteem It will provide the child an opportunity for an all-round development.

For childcare centers to thrive the plan must position your service uniquely to fight the competition. Let “extra features” form the core of your business strategy. Offer weekend workshops for the family. This allows parents to interact with children and teachers at the center. These workshops can also publicize your program to potential clients. Keep a teacher on-call duty to cater to the children who will be collected at a later hour. Medical emergencies, meetings and traffic inevitably delay many clients like doctors or lawyers. They will willingly pay the additional fee and remain loyal. Once a month make Saturday nights available to provide child care to client families. These extra benefits will win over the enrolled families.

There is a wide and expanding market for this service as nuclear families become the rule and an increasing number of women go to work. Still, your childcare business plan should clearly describe the target market in order to build upon the initial enrollments. Focus on expecting families, infants below twelve months and single parent households.

Alternatively, the bulletin boards at public schools, local shops and businesses are the best tools of advertising. The traditional word-of-mouth publicity helps bring continued business. Your website will also attract business, especially the families that relocate to your area. The mission of your childcare business plan should be to establish the center, go for a rapid expansion and an aggressive program promotion. Your profit margins will rise with an increase in the licensed capacity.

Dave Lavinsky - EzineArticles Expert Author

Since its inception, Growthink Business Plan Consultants has developed over 350 business plans. Growthink clients have collectively raised over $750 million in financing, launched numerous new product and service lines and gained competitive advantage and market share. Growthink has become the firm of choice for venture capital firms, angel investors, corporations and entrepreneurs in the know. For more information on this topic please visit http://www.growthink.com/businessplan/ or visit our venture capital placement site at Growthink Venture Capital.

SBA’s 8(a) Program Can Help Some Companies Compete

Posted by admin on June 8th, 2008 — Posted in Enterprise

Q: A friend told me that as a woman of Native American descent I might be eligible for a special SBA program that will help me start a small business. He said I could compete for government contracts through this program. Can you tell me what SBA program he’s referring to?
– Clara P.

A: Your friend is probably referring to the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) 8(a) Business Development (BD) Program. The 8(a) Program (named after the section of the Small Business Act from which it comes) is an SBA program created to help small disadvantaged businesses better compete in the U.S. marketplace and within the arena of government procurement. The SBA provides business development, technical assistance and other services to the small businesses that are accepted into the 8(a) program.

The 8(a) program is reserved for what the SBA calls “socially disadvantaged individuals.” Socially disadvantaged individuals are defined as those who have been subjected to racial or ethnic prejudice or cultural bias because of their membership in a disadvantaged group.

The SBA has designated the following groups as socially disadvantaged:

Black Americans Hispanic Americans Native Americans (Native American Indians, Eskimos, Aleuts, and Native Hawaiians) Certain Asian Pacific Americans Other individuals who can prove that they meet the SBA’s criteria to be considered socially disadvantaged

One point where your friend is incorrect is that the 8(a) program is for new companies. The 8(a) program is primarily for companies that have been in business for a minimum of two years, though that rule may be waived if your company is able to meet some pretty strict management, financial, and performance criteria.

Obtaining 8(a) status is no guarantee that a company will be successful in obtaining government or other contracts, but it certainly doesn’t hurt. The Small Business Act mandates that all small businesses have the opportunity to provide goods and services to the U.S. government. To help ensure that mandate, the SBA negotiates annual procurement preference goals with every Federal agency and reviews each agency’s results to make sure the goals were met.

The statutory goals are: 23 percent of all prime contracts go to small businesses; 5 percent of prime and subcontracts for small disadvantaged businesses; 5 percent of prime and subcontracts for women-owned small businesses; 3 percent of prime contracts for HUBZone small businesses; and 3 percent of prime and subcontracts for service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses.

A HUBZone (Historically Underutilized Business Zone) is a designated area within urban and rural communities that has been given preferential contract award consideration in an effort to stimulate economic development. A company may qualify for HUBZone status if it is owned or controlled by one or more U.S. citizens, has at least 35 percent of employees who live within the designated zone, and has a principal office located there. HUBZones are a whole ‘nother topic that we can discuss at another time. Suffice it to say that a company that obtains both 8(a) and HUBZone status may be entitled to double dip in the government procurement trough, that’s why you often find a number of 8(a) companies specifically moving into HUBZone areas to take advantage of the perks both programs offer.

The U.S. government purchases billions of dollars in goods and services every year, everything from staples to those wonderfully expensive toilet seats. Obtaining 8(a) status allows small businesses to compete for a portion of that business.

The basic requirements for applying for 8(a) status are your company must be a small business as defined by the SBA, must be owned and controlled by one or more socially and economically disadvantaged individuals who are U.S. citizens, and must show a potential for success. The SBA defines a small business as “one that is independently owned and operated, is organized for profit, and is not dominant in its field.”

As expected, the 8(a) program has its fans and its detractors. It’s fans are those companies that obtain 8(a) status and thereby get preferential treatment when competing for government procurement contracts.

The program’s detractors are typically those companies that fail to obtain 8(a) status or that do not meet the definition of socially disadvantaged, i.e. businesses owned my white American males (that’s a can of worms we won’t open this week).

You can learn more at the SBA’s website (sba.gov) or by calling your local SBA office.

Here’s to your success!

Tim Knox

EzineArticles Expert Author Tim Knox

Small Business Q&A is written by veteran entrepreneur and syndicated columnist, Tim Knox. Tim serves as the president and CEO of three successful technology companies and is the founder of DropshipWholesale.net, an online organization dedicated to the success of online and eBay entrepreneurs.

Related Links:
http://www.prosperityandprofits.com
http://www.dropshipwholesale.net

Product Development for Home Based Businesses

Posted by admin on June 8th, 2008 — Posted in Enterprise

Developing products can be a challenge in the home based business environment. Where do you go for a laboratory to create and test new product lines? Where do you turn for new packaging and marketing? Where do you turn for help?

You’re there. YOU are the crack team, as Donald Trump says. So forget about looking around. You’re it. Here’s what to do for your own product development.

First find a need. You want sales, so find something people want. How? Communication is the key. Ask your friends, your contacts, your business associates, your clients. See what they could use to make their lives easier. Poll them, survey them, email them, call them. Post questions on forums and chat rooms. Be like television’s Lieutenant Colombo (or the original Pink Panther) and enjoy the search, but don’t give up until you get your answers.

Second, get organized NOW, if you aren’t already. Take good notes as you go along. Keep organized, well-labeled computer and print folders and files in handy places. Use an organizer with a calendar if you need to. Third, create a product based around the need you discovered above. No need to be Einstein or invent the wheel. Search and find others in the industry to help and see how others did their product creation before you. Then copy their methods -not ‘exactly’, but rather ’similarly follow in their footsteps.’ I.E. read trade journals, search the Internet, review archived magazine articles, ask your local librarian to help you - and research “how to” get your idea off the ground based upon how others have done it in the past. Then team up, share ideas, share resources, share marketing funds and share revenue, etc. with those experienced. Reach out and don’t be afraid to find help and share. No need to go it alone or be greedy.

Third, along the way, get legal or other authoritative help as needed. Start with the Small Business Administration and find out if you need special permits, licensing, fees, contracts, legal structure, etc. Comparison shop, if possible, and get set up properly.

Fourth, there are plenty of ideas to go around. After one success, you can move on and duplicate it again and again. Do it. And give back to the community. Help others get their businesses established and growing.

In summary, product creation can be challenging. But the results can be so rewarding. So take the plunge and forge ahead!

First Checking Account - When is it Time?

Posted by admin on June 8th, 2008 — Posted in Finance Information

We all know that money doesn’t grow on trees, but we all need it to survive. The use of cash will only go so far in life, as you can’t send it through the mail. Checking accounts are relied upon to manage our finances and to send in payments for cable, phone, mortgages, etc. Even in this new era of ecommerce, it is still necessary to have the resources that a checking account provides.

When is the right time for kids to get their own checking accounts? There is a lot of debate among parents and bankers on this idea. Bankers will open a checking account for anyone who they feel is fit to have one. Parents have two sides to the story. Some parents think their kids should have one as soon as they can because it teaches them valuable lessons. Other parents believe their children don’t need checks at young ages.

There are some good questions to ask yourself in order to find out if the time is right for checking responsibilities:

  • Do they need an account? What expenditures do they have?
  • Do you have any reservations in co-signing?
  • Are they responsible, i.e. hold a job, get good grades, etc.
  • Will they allow your intervention when it need be?
  • Will you be able to monitor the account on the internet?

Checking accounts and kids really revolve around common sense. You should know if your child is capable of handling the responsibilities of writing checks. What really helps the arrangement is parental participation. Parents should be able to help their kids with any questions they will have and teach them how to balance and reconcile.

Benefits of Child Checking

While there may be some reservations about opening a checking account for a minor, there are some benefits. The child will be able to start managing money, and learn the ways of personal finances. They won’t have to carry around cash with them all the time. An ATM card with access to the account is really the only thing they have to carry around.

The tracking abilities are probably the most welcomed aspect of checking. Banking online has changed drastically in the last few years. If you take advantage of all the possibilities, it is rare that you actually have to write a check. It is also amazing to track where the money goes. Expenditure tracking is good for adults and kids. It is a way to eliminate unnecessary spending.

A relationship with a financial institution starts your children interested in the whole process. Banks offer many other services than checking. They offer bonds and certificates of deposit, loans for cars and homes, and they also offer business financing.

Through anyone’s life, they rely on the bank for many services. Banks are usually a low margin lender, giving customers more buying power. Checking account management at a young age leads to the importance of financial stability, clean credit, and flexibility.

Only you know when your children are ready for their first checking account. Take time to make the decision. Sit down with your kids and talk to them about finances to open up the dialogue.

Robb Ksiazek researches and writes valuable information for Checks-4U.com. His writings discuss topics based on the home and small business office and how to get the most out of your resources.

Fibromyalgia FAQ

Posted by admin on June 7th, 2008 — Posted in Health Hub

What is fibromyalgia?

There is still relatively little known about fibromyalgia although the word means pain in the tendons, ligaments and muscles. Fibromyalgia pain is reported to affect the whole body, sometimes causing muscles to twitch or giving a burning sensation. The disease is more common among women than men and most sufferers agree that the symptoms resemble that of a bad flu virus or a post viral state. Experts in the field believe that chronic fatigue syndrome may be closely linked to fibromyalgia syndrome with some even concluding that they are in fact one and the same.

What causes fibromyalgia?

There is very little known about what causes fibromyalgia and furthermore the disease in general. Women tend to be more susceptible but the disease can occur in either men or women and at any age. More commonly fibromyalgia strikes women in their thirties and forties and doctors believe that the disease can be triggered by certain events. Car accidents, viral infections, arthritis, lupus and thyroid abnormalities are just a sample of the things that may be responsible for triggering fibromyalgia but these are not said to be caused by http://www.treatmentforfibro.com People who develop fibromyalgia as a result of these events or diseases are described by doctors as having already been predisposed to the condition.

What are the treatments for fibromyalgia?

Treatment for fibromyalgia is usually home based tends to be focused upon reducing pain to manageable levels. This is done for two reasons; the first being in the interests of a patients comfort and the second, to allow for better sleep quality. Sleep is an integral part of the body’s healing process as without deep sleep, tissue repair and immune function can be severely limited. There are a variety of drugs used to assist in the modulation of sleep, pain and immune function such as:

-amitriptyline
-cyclobenzaprine and

-celexa

Other medications that may be used specifically to aid sleep include:

-ambien
-clonazepam
-trazodone

Where pain relief is concerned there is a vast array of medications available.

The author is a regular contributor to http://www.fibrosyndrome.com an permission to reproduce this article is given only on the basis that all links remain active and in tact.

How To Make Your Cat Obey

Posted by admin on June 5th, 2008 — Posted in Assistance, Beyond Cats

Many people are under the false impression that cats are arrogant, moody creatures owners who ignore their attempts to train them. They think that cats could obey and not to choose. Although cats have ignored orders because they do not feel like doing what their owners ask, sometimes they do not obey because they simply do not understand.

The formation of a cat usually takes much more time and patience as the formation of a dog. Strengthening positive reinforcement works better than negative with cats. If you punish them, they wait until you’re not looking to misbehave, it is better to simply ignore the wrong answers and praise on your cat when he answered correctly.

You should start training your cat when it is about eight to ten weeks. However, if you have an older cat, do not let that stop you. It May be a little more difficult to learn, but old dogs can learn new tricks.

It is better to start training your cat by teaching him to come when it is called, as you do with a puppy. Make sure you have a supply of your favorite cat treat and he feels well rested and quite happy. If you have a lot of noise and confusion, switching to a zone of calm, if your cat is not distracted. Before starting training, to decide on an order and make sure you use it regularly. Order must be short and easy to say. “Come kitty” or “Here kitty” are two good choices.

History of the Computer - Artificial Intelligence - is it possible?

Posted by admin on June 5th, 2008 — Posted in World Of Technology

In the History of the Computer series, we have seen how electronics, developed at an accelerated rate during the second world war, came to be adapted to make the digital computer.

CHARLES BABBAGE

Before this time various mechanical devices, such as the ‘Analytical Engine’, proposed by Charles Babbage, an English mathematician, in the early 19th century, could be seen as computers. The machine was never built, due to size, complexity and funding, although funding was provided.

In fact Babbage’s design was built according to his plans around 1990, using 19th century tolerances, and worked perfectly. Babbage had designed the machine as a calculator remarkably similar to a modern computer, in that it was to be operated by a program coded onto a punch card. It also had features like loops and branching similar to present day programs.

An earlier design, of the ‘Difference Engine’ was intended to calculate various mathematical tables, such as Logarithmic tables, well known to students before the calculator came along. The idea was to perform reliable calculations, as the people currently handling the task, (known as computers) made many errors.

ALAN TURING

Alan Turing, another English mathematician, born some 120 years after Babbage, advanced the field of the computing. Turing has been called the ‘Father of Computer Science’ He devised the Turing Machine in the 1930s, this was essentially a model of a computer, needing only the electronics to make one.

During WW2 he worked as a cryptanalyst at Bletchley Park, and devised a method to break the Enigma Code machine used by the German navy. His device the Bombe was used to decipher the coded messages sent by German Naval Command.

Also in use at Bletchley Park was the Colossus computer. This was designed by Tommy Flowers to aid in decrypting the Lorenz machine, used by German High Command to encrypt teleprinter messages.

As advances have been made in computing, the question has often been asked, Is Artificial Intelligence possible? In 1950 Turing asked ‘can a machine think?’ He answered yes, but then asked ‘If it could think, how could we tell?

THE TURING TEST

Turing proposed a test to be used to determine if Artificial Intelligence has been achieved in a computer, suggesting it should have been achieved by the year 2000. This is known as the ‘Turing Test’, it requires a computer to convince a human that it is a human, too.

The test is based on a popular game of the time, in which the player is required to determine which of two persons in another room is a man, and which a woman. Communication is by written question and answer, ideally by teletype, and the player must ask questions of the two to arrive at a conclusion.

In the Turing Test, the determination is between a computer, and a human. It should not be possible to say that the computer is definitely a computer! The computer must therefore be thinking, and learning.

AIMING FOR THE TURING TEST

As an encouragement to computer designers, an annual prize, the Loebner, is awarded to the best computer advancing the development of artificial intelligence, defined as the most human-like computer, for that year. A major prize is available for the first computer which passes the Turing test.

There is also a Turing Award, this is an annual award for technical contributions to the computing field, It has been awarded annually since 1966. Most winners have been computer scientists.

THE FUTURE

It still seems probable that a computer will be produced which can emulate a human, and not just in written communication. Video and audio communication should also be possible. Current estimates of a date for this to happen are around the year 2020.

Tony is an experienced computer engineer. He is currently webmaster and contributor to http://www.what-why-wisdom.com . A set of diagrams accompanying these articles may be seen at http://www.what-why-wisdom.com/history-of-the-computer-0.html. RSS feed also available - use http://www.what-why-wisdom.com/Educational.xml.