Electronic payment is the term used for any kind of payment processed without using cash or paper checks. Forms of electronic payment include use of ACH or Automated Clearing House, e-checks, direct debit, debit cards, and credit cards. Types of Electronic Payment Transactions One time electronic payment transactions are common to e-commerce sites like eBay. All you have to do is type in your credit card information when you click on the shopping cart icon. The site then checks the information you have provided and sends you an email regarding Read More

The Advanced Auto Encoding (AAC)  was originally used for audio encoding in DVDs, but has become better known as the default format for music tracks stored in the Apple iTunes library. In order play music stored in the iTunes default format on other MP3 players, the end-user must convert AAC to MP3 format. Convert AAC to MP3 Step 1 – Open the iTunes player on the computer by selecting the program icon from the “Programs” sub-menu or choosing the desktop application icon. Step 2 – Click the “Edit,” “Preferences,” and Read More

Data is laid out on a standard magnetic card in three tracks. A magnetic stripe card may have any of these tracks or a combination of these tracks. Track 1 was the first track standardized. The International Air Transportation Association (IATA) developed it and it is still reserved for their use. It is 210bpi with room for 79 7-bit characters. Track 1 is encoded with a 7-bit scheme (6 data bits plus one parity bit) that is based on ASCII. If the reader does not perform the ASCII conversion, add Read More

A debugger is a type of software that allows a programmer to view every step a program takes in real-time. While a debugger will cause a program to run extremely slowly, it will allow a programmer to start and stop a program at any given time and modify the variables or actions that it takes while performing those actions. Debuggers allow programmers to prevent programs from performing undesired actions and are, as the name suggests, ideal for “debugging” a program. How Debuggers Work When a programmer runs a debugger, he/she Read More

Modem (derived from modulator-demodulator) is a device that makes it possible for a computer to transmit data over regular telephone lines or cable. A modem converts a computer's digital data into analog form to ensure it can be transmitted over telephone lines or cable. The receiving modem at the other end reconverts the data in analog form to digital form. Modems were first introduced in the late 1960s as a method to permit terminals to connect to computers with the help of telephone lines. The most common terminal of that Read More

A gas-discharge tube uses electrodes inside a low-pressure gas to create light. When a high potential difference exists between the electrodes, the gas between them ionizes and forms a plasma. The free electrons in this plasma allows current to flow between the electrodes. The plasma either generates light directly, or by causing another material to create light. There are many different types such as the fluorescent, neon, xenon, sodium, metal halide, and switching tubes. Penning Mixture A pure gas has a much higher ionization voltage than a mixture of gases. Read More

Alexander Graham Bell is commonly credited with the invention of the telephone. Bell filed a patent application for a working telephone on Feb. 14, 1876. Bell’s patent of the telephone has been successfully defended in five hundred and eighty-seven lawsuits, including five that reached the United States Supreme Court. Indeed, Alexander Graham Bell did invent the first working telephone, but many other inventors developed similar systems at various times and with various degrees of success. Charles Bourseul published an article on the transmission of sound using electricity in 1854. Bourseul Read More

Cameras come in many different forms and variants and can include a wide variety of features. All cameras can be used in the same manner, however, and mostly rely on the photographer to take good pictures. The photographer does this through a combination of angles, distances, focus, and lighting. A good camera and lots of practice helps as well. The following will detail each of the aforementioned attributes and provide tips for getting the most quality use out of any camera. Angle The first step to taking good pictures is Read More

Understanding the Function of Protocols Protocols are rules, standards and procedures that enable information to be communicated in the network environment. The rules and standards that control the way in which computers communicate are referred to as protocols. A few relevant factors to consider when discussing protocols and the network environment are: There are numerous protocols Each protocol has a specific set of functions that assist in enabling communication over the network. The layer of the OSI reference model at which the protocol operates indicates its function. Certain protocols can Read More

Creating a Titleblock Tutorial A tutorial that shows how to create a file that you can use as a border and titleblock for drawings To begin titleblock drawing, use the Line command. To activate this command, either locate the Line button on the Drawing toolbar and click on it with the Left Mouse button, or type a letter L ( the first letter in the word Line and the "alias" for the Line command) at the Command: prompt and press the Enter key … Creating a Simple 2D Drawing Tutorial Read More