To begin, try looking through periodicals and magazines, both in print and digital. Study the articles you read very carefully, and analyze what exactly makes a good article.

Do not worry about online plagiarism. When another website copies your written work, claim credit by advertising to the public, just how many websites use and trust your material. Consider linking your web page to the web pages that have taken your content. Claiming credit in this way will be much cheaper than hiring a lawyer for copyright litigation.

Make sure you do proper research for all of your articles. You want to be known as the guy who has great information, not as the guy who is spouting lies and false facts. Nothing can kill your reputation faster than being branded as a liar or a lazy writer.

Keep your copy simple and short. Don't forget, writing for the internet is different than writing for other mediums. Don't skimp on information, but if you keep your article concise and under 2,000 words, you will be able to make the reading experience more enjoyable for your readers.

Assemble articles into an e-book. This is a great way to re-use and repackage work that you have already done. After you've published a few articles, take the most popular ones and package them into an e-book that you can give away or sell for a tidy little profit.

Put yourself completely into each article you write. Tell some anecdotes, adopt a friendly tone and write about your experiences and feelings so your readers can relate to you. Be honest in your articles, and they will be more interesting to your readers. Readers will see this and feel more comfortable with you as a person.

Use social media to share your articles. Both Twitter and Facebook are excellent ways to boost your readership. Just post updates each time new articles are published to grab the attention of your followers. Ask that they share with their social media friends and your audience will grow further.

Publish articles in as many of the free top 10 article directories as possible. Make sure your articles are unique and well written. Familiarize yourself with the submission requirements of each directory, as well as its terms and conditions. Some directories have minimum word counts, and one, Buzzle, will not accept an article that has been published anywhere else on the web prior to their publication of it.

When your article marketing efforts are well underway you may find yourself short of ideas to generate new articles about. Rather than scanning the web for ideas, turn to your catalog of completed articles. Rewrite one if you are absolutely desperate for content. Even better, take an old article and write an updated version.

Do not break any laws, especially copyright infringement. Almost every search engine includes a disclaimer that they will ban sites that break the law. If you are regularly found to be stealing content from other sites you will find your site banned. Keep your content unique to avoid even the possibility of a ban.

Turning an ad into an article will cultivate the attention of your readers and turn them into customers. Rather than a simple sales pitch or gimmick, create a story about yourself or business to personalize the connection with your visitors. Tell them ust what you have learned and what valuable lessons you have learn, so that it is a must read for them. This will do more to create a dedicated reader, who is more likely to be become your customer or a repeat visitor.

Try to include real-life examples in your article. The reader will be able to identify with your post, making them more interested in the subject that you are writing about. It is also important to use descriptive language so that the reader can visualize the situation that you are discussing.

The best goals are time-bound, and this applies to article-writing goals, as well. Setting time goals will help you to get more done, and stay motivated. Regular submissions will increase your view count.

To get a lot of short, straightforward ideas into you article, use a bullet-pointed list. Too many short sentences bore people, so you have to vary sentence length. Breaking the ideas into bullets can help create an interesting structure https://yoo.rs/. This makes people pay attention a lot more.

Find a way to get and stay creative. Creativity makes your articles come alive. Many people within your competition, possess the same knowledge and aim to teach it through article writing. Creative ways to share what you know, stand out, regardless of how many others have written about the same topic.

Examine your business to identify what makes it stand out, and apply it to your articles. If your business is a success, there is a reason it is. When you find those reasons and incorporate the same things into your articles, your articles will automatically stand out from your competition.

A great tip when promoting your online articles is to always cross-link your articles; however, you should always make sure you include a link back to your blog. This is done in case you are limited to a particular number of links. Bringing potential new readers to your site is the most important thing.

Draft no less than one article daily, and get it onto a popular directory. When you want to improve your rank on search engines, writing an article that links to your website each day is effective, because it provides you with high-quality backlinks. Best of all, it's free!

Write about the same topic from different angles to produce more value-added content. Regardless of your topic, have a cheatsheet with several different angles to write. The best beeswax, beeswax benefits, beeswax flavors, beeswax history, and so on. Here are a few more: Top 10 beeswax producers, 5 ways to cook with beeswax and using beeswax for weight loss.

Writing quality articles that can be published is essential to your success. You must put the magazine's requirements first. Your creativity must mesh with their needs. If your readers like your articles, then they are far more likely to invest in your products. This way, you can get great results from writing articles.

The Best Tips To Help You Achieve Online Success

Will you be ready when opportunity knocks on your door? Most people would answer that with an emphatic yes, but the truth is that most are not ready. When you have the opportunity to build a web business, make sure you're always prepared. Read the tips on article marketing provided in this text and learn how to ready yourself for the road ahead.

Try not to stick with AP styled rules and their regulations when you're trying to get content written for SEO purposes. That way, you can generate articles, descriptions and blogs that are perfect for boosting search engine rankings. While you don't want to go completely crazy and throw out everything you have ever learned, you can relax a little.

For some extra income, sign up for a program like AdSense. The bulk of your income should come from your affiliate marketing, but if you are going through the trouble of building a good website, you might as well ad in some income from ad programs. Make sure the ads are a good fit for your site so you don't drive away your customers.

Find a unique and clever way to make your article promotional. Readers love it when a writer tries something new and interesting. They are used to seeing the product description/review/buy it here format. If you can figure out a different way to promote your product, readers will flock in, and usually buy.

Use an article resource box. This is a framed box at the end of each of your articles. It gives the reader a bit of background information on the article's author, where to find more articles by the same writer, any projects you may be working on, and sometimes includes a picture.

To start article marketing, write an original article for your website, making sure it is optimized for your primary keywords and 400-500 words in length. You will want this to be a high quality, well written article as it will be the foundation for more articles to follow. Submit the article to all the major RSS feeds. Once the article is published on your website, ping your website's RSS feed.

Be sure that the writing that you are publishing is well edited. It can mean the difference between return readers and those who will never come to read the information that you have on your site. These writings are going to be seen all over the web and will have your site tied to them.

A lot of article marketers attempt to be really fancy in their prose. They're writing a lot more like a poet than someone trying to drive traffic, and the end result is a slim readership that cannot quite relay what the writer is trying to convey. Be very direct in your style when you're trying to get people to your site or to someone else's product.

Try to use a good spinning tool for creating more variations on your articles. Best Spinner is a great tool to use to create different versions of your articles. It's an easy desktop application with a simple interface that can get you many different versions of your articles in no time flat.

General information can be the death of an article marketer's career. Anything that's too vague or uncertain will only work to confuse readers. For example, are you encouraging them to visit this site, or could you be telling them that this product or idea isn't exactly your favorite? Which is it? Avoid being vague in your articles and you will avoid any confusion.

Turn off your word count in your writing program so that you can focus on your content, instead of how far you've gotten. Write until you feel you've fully covered the topic of your article. If you give yourself a word cut off while you are writing, you may end up leaving out important content. Turn it back on after you are done and edit down to your needed counts.

Get some emotion into your article. Write a compelling title that evokes happiness, anger, sadness, or another emotion that draws them into reading your article. People don't want to be bored! Find a way to attach emotion to your message -- make it personal, and people will read it and identify.

Generate content for advertisements and articles, by requesting interviews with respected individuals who are familiar with your industry. With their permission, convert the interview into an article formal that can be submitted to online publications or published to your own website. For added impact, make the piece a regular feature and include a rotating cast of experts and professionals, who can attest to your brand's quality.

Font can make more of an impact that one may think in the world of article marketing. Since the viewers see the font before they even begin to read they can form opinions from the font alone. If the font is boring then the viewer may think the same of an article right away.

Having a creative title will help one's article reach out and grab the attention of a potential viewer. Having a title that will make one think, laugh, or otherwise generate interest can be a big advantage in article marketing. Using a title in the right way can enhance ones articles.

If you find that your articles are a very good quality, you should consider creating an ebook and giving them away to your readers. You can do a giveaway, which will get more traffic. Who doesn't like to win something? While they are trying to win the ebook, they will see what else you have to offer, and it could lead to a sale.

Now that you've read a few great tips on article marketing, you're now a little more prepared for the task than you were yesterday. However, you still have a long way to go. Start first by mastering these methods and then continue to expand from there. You should never stop learning about article marketing if you want to run a successful web business.

Are you overwhelmed by the mess you see every time you open the garage door? Have you finally had enough and are ready to do something about the clutter? Item by item, the mess has built from month to month and year to year. If you've reached the boiling point, and are ready to take charge, and reclaim your garage, the following tips will help you get started.

PREPLANNING STEPS

1. First, set aside an entire day, maybe even an entire weekend for a larger cleanup project. Get an early start. Commit to getting the job done once you've started.

2. Make an "organizational assessment" before getting started. Once you've purged unwanted items, is there a better way to organize things you want to keep? Would shelves help? Pegboards and hooks? Cabinets? Storage bins? Your local home supply store will have great storage products and suggestions. Buy these items and have them on hand and ready to go.

3. Before the big day, schedule a pickup from a local charity to pick up items that can be re-used. Are there other items in your house or basement that should be included with this pickup? Schedule this pickup for late in the day of your big clean up project.

4. Schedule a pickup from a junk removal company to haul away items that will be thrown away. Are there other items in your house or basement that should be included with this pickup? A quick online search for "junk removal" will give you a list of local companies to choose from. Again, schedule this pick up for late in the day.

5. A couple of handy items to have on hand include a cooler of water, a good supply of garbage bags and empty boxes to help with sorting and purging. And perhaps a few aspirin for the expected end of the day aches and pains after a day of decluttering.

6. Label the empty boxes to help with sorting. Suggested labels include Tools, Garden Supplies, Sports, Cleaning, Auto Supplies, Toys, Grill Supplies, Holiday, Donate, Junk.

GETTING STARTED

1. The best way to tackle your garage cleanup project is to pull everything out of the garage, sort and purge, and then put things back in the garage that you want to keep.

2. As you pull items out of the garage, use your driveway and adjacent yard as a staging area. Sort the items into piles, or use your pre-labeled boxes to help with your initial organization effort. If you're not sure whether you want to keep something or not, put it in an "Undecided" pile, and make a decision later in the day.

3. A good rule of thumb is to purge anything you haven't used in one or two years. You'd be surprised how this rule of thumb can help in making final choices and eliminate a large amount of clutter.

4. Once you've pulled everything out of the garage, and have made initial choices on what you're keeping, and what you're purging, now you need to think about how you want to arrange items as they go back in the garage.

5. Before you make final choices on new shelving, cabinets, or hooks, think about what items you use most frequently and want to be able to easily access. This may influence how you reorganize your garage. Things used on a daily or weekly basis (lawnmower, sports equipment, cleaning supplies) should be easily accessible. Holiday items, used once a year, can be stored in less convenient locations.

6. Revisit your "Undecided" pile. If in doubt, get rid of the items in this pile. You'll appreciate the decluttered garage more than holding on to seldom used items.

FINISHING UP

Whew! It's been a long day and big effort. All that's left to do is to sit back and watch as the charity truck and junk removal truck arrives and the teams make your mess go away. If you've been diligent in your effort and stayed focused on your clean-up goals, you should see dramatic results. Less mess, more organization, and a great sense of accomplishment from your effort. And we guarantee a smile on your face the next time you open your garage door and take a peek inside. Everything has its place and everything is in its place.

Having a hoarder in your life is not a good thing to have. However, you know that you are going to want to prevent that hoarding from reaching the point that they need to have an intervention. What you might not realize is why you should be using junk removal to combat hoarding. Here are some of the reasons why you will want to use this type of service to help you out.

Remember that these companies do have to make money so they probably will charge you a disposal fee. However, if it is going to help you out with the problem that you are currently having the cost will be well worth it. The problem can come you will want to set a price limit for this service so you can still pay the rest of your bills as well. You could find at the same time that depending on the items that you are having removed that they might actually pay you if it will be a good business decision for them.

One reason that you should be using this is they will be able to aid you in getting the items out of your home. You might think that you are going to be able to rid yourself of the items because you brought them in. However, you could find that you brought them in many years ago and they are going to be heavier than what you remember, but with these companies you will not have to worry about that problem.

You could also find that they will assist you in disposing of the items in the proper manner. Some of the items that you have in your home could be disposed of in many different ways, but you will find that by using one of these companies they will generally recycle what they can, pitch anything that cannot be recycled, and sort out the rest for proper disposal.

Something else that you can find depending on the company is that they could help you organize efforts to clean up your property. You might think that they are only going to work on getting rid of the junk, but you could find that some of these companies are going to help you with getting your lawn cleaned up, the walls cleaned, or just general cleaning with the various contracts that they have in place with other companies.

Another thing to consider is that these people are going to be professionals are going to have the proper sized trucks to haul away your items in a couple of loads instead of making multiple trips. If a reason that this already has not been done is because it would take multiple trips you will want to know that many times these people are going to have a larger truck than what you do which means that the multiple trips will be drastically reduced.

It is going to remove some of the health hazards that could be present in your home because of all the junk. If you have a ton of junk laying around your home you know that it is going to start attracting pest. Those pest are going to carry disease or bugs of all sorts. So by getting rid of all that junk you will be getting rid of any hiding places that they have.

Trying to rid yourself of items that you have collected can be very difficult to do. For some the problem comes to actually removing the items, but an easy solution can be found by using junk removal to combat hoarding problems https://www.mandjserviceworks.com/. That way you will be able to solve many of the issues that you are going to be facing with the health hazards, the piling up of items, and your overall well being.

There are many things a website is used for. It is used for information sharing, entertainment and other uses. No matter the site, every website needs a savvy webmaster to be designed properly. The following design tips will assist you in setting up a website.

Make sure your text and background has the proper contrast. There's evidence showing that white text on a black background is easiest for most people to read, but other colors are fine so long as they're readable. Also keep in mind that people with visual impairments may not be able to read your site if the contrast is poor. Check to see if your site complies with various contrast standards using the tool at http://snook.ca/technical/colour_contrast/colour.html .

Avoid using frames on your site. Back then, they were the height of technology, but technology has moved on. Frame-based designs cause readers to have trouble bookmarking your site, and scrolling can also prove burdensome. It is simple to design your page so visitors can navigate through it.

Always double check pages for broken links before publishing a page. An error page after clicking a link is very frustrating for visitors to your page. Links can be checked manually, and you can also find software that will check your site to see if there are any broken links.

Incorporate a site map into your website. Site maps serve several purposes. First, they make navigation throughout your site much easier for visitors. Second, the major search engines can utilize it to index your entire site. This means your search engine optimization improves, and your website receives more exposure, giving you more profit-earning potential.

Be sure your site can be scanned by visitors easily. Many readers online look for information that is interesting to them. Emphasized text is more easily scanned and helps readers along, also better ensuring they return. It is also important that the key information is at the top of each page. This ensures your site is user friendly.

Learn the basics of HTML and CSS. Although there are many templates that allow you to just fill in the blanks, in order to create a web page, these templates provide only limited design possibilities. Understanding how the mark-up language and stylesheet work together will enable you to customize your website to your heart's content.

Utilize newsletters if you want repeat visitors. When you allow visitors to subscribe to your website's newsletter for updates, they will be more likely to come back to your site. Place the form for signup in a sidebar or at the top of the pages in your site, and track those who sign up. Make sure to only deliver the newsletter to people who have requested it!

Build your website using a content management system. Knowing how to build a website using just HTML and CSS is good foundation knowledge, but this can only produce a static website. Web design has evolved into providing dynamic content. If you couple your coding skills with the use of a content management system, you can practically build any type of website that you desire.

Resist any temptation to use pop-up windows when you design your website. Although they may serve some function for your site, the average reader views them as a major irritant. When you have pop-ups, the chances increase your visitors may get frustrated by them and choose to leave your website with no interest in returning.

To help you create a website, you should learn HTML. Knowing HTML helps you understand how a website functions. When you understand how a website works, you can incorporate your own HTML code into your site. This helps you to easily correct changes without having to rely on outside programs to build your site. In other words, you have more control over your site's content.

For your image tags, always try to include a brief description in the ALT attribute. Not only is this good for search engine optimization, but it is also beneficial to the sight-impaired users who rely on screen readers to describe image tag contents. Make your description short and as descriptive as possible.

If you want to work on your website, you need to have an office space with a door. Using an office space helps you avoid distractions and work more efficiently. Make sure your office equipment is easily accessible, and ensure that your office space is conducive to designing good websites.

While bright and bold may be your style, you have to remember that designing a site is just as much for your visitors as it is for you, so take it easy on those bright, bold color options. Having a bright site might just scare people away. The last thing you want is a blinding shade of neon green making it hard to see your content.

You need to be looking at the stats for your website when you are making updates. This will allow you to determine your target audience and see how they are using your pages. This will show you which areas need updating to entice people back again and again.

Focus on how you plan to handle interaction as you're designing a site. Do you have a shout box on the site? Maybe you have a forum or some type of chat room. At the very least, however, you need to have some method by which a visitor can contact you. You cannot remain shut-off from communication.

Be sure that the content on your page isn't overwhelming for guests when they come to your webpage. You don't want to overload a page with a bunch of images or videos that can slow people's computers down. You want people to enjoy the experience they have on your site, not be frustrated.

Whether for entertainment or business, Internet sites serve a multitude of purposes. You need design knowledge to create sites for any purposehttps://www.pricelessconsultingllc.com/ . Using the tips above, you can design any website that will do anything that you want to accomplish on the Internet.

Chocolates - The Top 10

Our next lesson covers the main items for online advertising. Advertising is probably the most important promotion tool for big brick-and-mortar companies. However, with a SEM businesses, advertising is only a supporting factor. The problem is that the majority of SEM businesses lack the scale to be able to effectively contact large numbers of prospects and clients. Furthermore, there aren't many places on the Web where prospective clients come in flocks. Therefore, advertising is largely PPC-oriented.

Choosing the right software development company in India or Offshore Software Development India could be a real difficult task. With loads of software development companies India, it becomes quite difficult and confusing to right company for handling your project. However, there are several things that you have to consider before choosing the right software developers India or Java developers India.

Before hiring any of the software development company India or Java Developers India for Custom Application Development or Custom Software Development, it is very important for you to find out the actual requirements and then you have to do research about those requirements from the from the viewpoint of the main user or end user. It will be very useful for you to design a basic architecture or workflow since it enables you to approach the renowned and experienced software development companies with the particular set of needs. https://www.qsoftvietnam.com/ Some of the important things are mentioned below which you have to be checked with almost all the software company.

Listed below are a few numbers of things that must be checked with almost every Java developers India or software development services provider.

Basic knowledge: Things that are associated to the technology have to be perfect and clear for a company in order to be successful in the software sector. Therefore, you have to make sure to evaluate each company's technical expertise and technological. The software experts working for the software firm should have the capability of choosing the ideal technology so as to develop appropriate software programs or applications.

Respect for deadlines: Time is one of the most important factors that you have to consider. Timely delivery is very important for you to launch the products and services of your company well in correct time and before your competitors. Therefore, make sure that the project which you have given to a software firm is capable enough of completing your company project within given time or not.

Market reputation: Reputation of the company in the software market would help you to know the quality of the products and services provided by it. Better the quality of service, higher the reputation of the company. Of course, you don't want your company name to be tagged with some poor quality applications or software.

Various Software Services: Make sure that the company you select provides various services such as Outsource Software Development, Offshore Product development, ASP Net Programmers, J2EE Application Development, ASP Net Application Development and various other services in order to meet your requirements.

Appropriate Software Support: It is not just important that the company is providing quality software programs or completing your project on time and delivering it to you, it is very important to provide proper software support as well. Once the software firm is done with your company project, it becomes their responsibility to provide consumer with proper software support system. It is very important for the perfect implementation of the software programs. At the same time, do make sure that you understand the processes in case you are a first timer. Your partner should be able to help you, if he has the right experience.

Previous experiences: Ensure that you ask about every company about their previous customers and also make sure to show them some of the samples of the software development projects that they have done for their customers. This would help you to know about their weakness and capabilities.

Harkirat Singh Bedi is a Business Development Manager at iBoss Tech Solutions Pvt. Ltd., a software development company India uncovering better ways of developing quality custom software to create optimised solutions for clients worldwide. iBoss Tech Solutions is a dependable service provider of offshore software product development services on a turnkey basis.

iBoss Tech Solutions is a leading software development company with a delivery center in Noida (National Capital Region), India and an office in the California, United States. It has a team of 55 fulltime, enthusiastic and seasoned software development executives with top class education and experience working in high technology software, hardware and/or service companies and those who have mastered and successfully implemented software on various technologies and verticals.

Software Development Life Cycle - Understanding the Process and Choosing a Partner

If you're about to embark on a software or web development project that you expect to take your business to the next level, you may be surprised to learn that the software development life cycle starts long before the project build actually occurs.

For software development companies, the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC) technically begins once a customer has engaged the firm. The SDLC refers to the actual framework of tasks and milestones that will be created by the developer's project team.

But for you, the software development process starts the day you decide that your business can benefit from an investment in technology to improve branding, streamline workflow or communications,or increase sales. At that point, you pick up the phone to contact reputable companies that can help you not only strategize, but also build your custom web, mobile or cloud computing solution.

Here are some tips for achieving the best possible project outcome via a better understanding of the software development life cycle from start to finish.

Official Phases of SDLC & The Software Development Process

Each phase of the Software Development Life Cycle has its own unique set of goals and milestones. It is critical that your chosen solutions provider has a proven SDLC process in place to ensure the delivery of predictable results. Though vendors may use slightly differing terminology to describe them, all should follow these five basic steps:

Discovery -Outline your objectives and business requirements; identify market opportunity and audience; develop a strategic plan; perform an internal resource and technology audit, and, finally, summarize the project scope of work.

Design -Outline overall project plan; design user experience; develop prototypes;perform usability focus groups; outline site content; develop test plans.

Construction -Build custom system; perform reviews throughout; execute internal QA testing;ramp up marketing efforts; develop a user acceptance test; develop launch plan;develop system training plan.

Launch -Execute a user acceptance test plan; system training; system documentation delivery.

Review -Review project success; identify new opportunities; maintain all applications;plan later phase initiatives.

The Free Consultation

Once you have an understanding of the life cycle of software development and what you will be hiring a vendor to do for you, it's time to start the process of identifying potential solution providers.

If a company offers a free consultation, by all means take them up on it! You'd be surprised how many people don't make use of this golden opportunity to steer the conversation away from a sales pitch and get some important questions answered. You can hear about their client successes and request client references in your RFP later on. Get right to inquiring about their technical approach and delivery methodology, and ask some specific technical questions to get an immediate sense if the company has the expertise and reliability you require.

A reputable software solutions provider that specializes in custom web development and software development should be highly qualified in several broad areas -ranging from strategic analysis, project management, and project documentation to testing and project maintenance -to help ensure up-to-date solutions and the ultimate success of your project.Having these characteristics gives a company thorough knowledge of the software development process and how it can be customized to best serve your needs.

Because of its potential complexity and the variety of technologies that may be involved, software development requires a highly systematic approach. Careful planning and a step-by-step process are the foundation for creating and implementing an effective and reliable software solution. Listen carefully for details on how the company addresses each phase of the software development life cycle to help you determine the thoroughness of each provider's process.

Every conversation you have will also contribute to the formation of an increasingly exacting set of business requirements. Even if you are pretty certain what your business requirements might be, keep an open mind and listen to the pros. You may just pick up some ideas that will create long-term efficiencies for your business.

The Request for Proposal

After interviewing a handful of software solutions firms, you'll find that you're ready to take the next step with one or two. Now's the time to provide as much information as you canto these potential solutions providers in what's called a Request For Proposal (RFP).

RFPs generally include the specifics of your brand positioning, all your business requirements for functionality, the vision and objectives for the project, a proposed schedule, a request for client references, and specifics on the software development methodology.

Writing an RFP is a bit of an art form, but don't be intimidated - when you supply as much information as you can and understand each phase of the software development life cycle, it will greatly improve the accuracy of the proposal or scope of work that you receive in return.

The Scope of Work

Solution providers on your RFP distribution list will generally reply with a detailed Scope of Work (SOW)and estimate for the project. For highly complex projects, it is not uncommon to receive a SOW and estimate for just the Discovery phase described above.

Many times, the Discovery phase must be conducted in order for the provider to better understand your business requirements and provide an accurate estimate for the entire project should you wish to move forward towards a complete software development project.

Expect to pay between $10,000-$30,000 for a detailed Discovery SOW and a clear Business Requirements Document. Note that if you contract with a custom software solutions provider for a Discovery SOW, you are under no obligation to hire them for the full project.

After an in-depth Discovery is completed, you will then receive a detailed SOW and estimate for the entire project. Of course, pricing will vary greatly for each individual project.

Getting the Most for Your Money Out of the Software Development Process

Since most software development projects require substantial investments of both time and hard dollars, it's clearly to your benefit to choose a software development firm with significant experience in custom software development and solutions. In addition to their advanced technical knowledge, a more experienced firm can also help you strategize and make better project decisions - decisions that can move you closer to your long-term goals, while also simultaneously addressing multiple strategic marketing objectives.

Because application and website development is an evolution of technology, it is also important to employ a firm that stays on the cutting edge and adopts appropriate new technologies and platforms as they emerge.

With a clear understanding of the software development life cycle process -and how to use that knowledge to inform your choice of development partner -your chances of enjoying a successful project are very high.

Peter Ladka is the President of Parse3, NY-based provider of world-class software solutions. They focus on providing end-to-end software solutions designed to build long-term brand value for their customers as well as deliver tangible business results. With over 13 years experience, Parse3 has built a reputation for technological excellence by delivering reliable, predictable solutions, on time and on budget.

Cryptocurrency have been around for a while now and there are multiple papers and articles on basics of Cryptocurrency. Not only have the Cryptocurrency flourished but have opened up as a new and trusted opportunity for investors. The crypto market is still young but mature enough to pour in the adequate amount of data for analysis and predict the trends. Though it is considered as the most volatile market and a huge gamble as an investment, it has now become predictable to a certain point and the Bitcoin futures are a proof of this. Many concepts of the stock market have now been applied to the crypto market with some tweaks and changes. https://rainmakrr.xyz This gives us another proof that many people are adopting Cryptocurrency market every day, and currently more than 500 million investors are present in it. Though the total market cap of crypto market is $286.14 Billion that is roughly 1/65th of the stock market at the time of writing, the market potential is very high considering the success despite its age and the presence of already established financial markets. The reason behind this is nothing else but the fact that people have started believing in the technology and the products backing a crypto. This also means that the crypto technology have proven itself and so much that the companies have agreed to put their assets in the form of crypto coins or tokens. The concept of Cryptocurrency became successful with the success of Bitcoin. Bitcoin, which once used to be the only Cryptocurrency, now contributes only 37.6% to the total Cryptocurrency market. The reason being, emergence of new Cryptocurrencies and the success of projects backing them. This does not indicate that Bitcoin failed, in fact market capitalization of Bitcoin has increased, rather what this indicates is that crypto market have expanded as a whole.

These facts are enough to prove the success of Cryptocurrencies and their market. And in reality investment in Crypto market is considered as safe now, to the extent that some invest as for their retirement plan. Therefore what we need next are the tools for analysis of crypto market. There are many such tools that enable you to analyze this market in a manner similar to stock market providing similar metrics. Including coin market cap, coin stalker, cryptoz and investing. Even thought these metrics are simple, the do provide crucial information about the crypto under consideration. For example, a high market cap indicates a strong project, a high 24hour volume indicates high demand and circulating supply indicates the total amount of coins of that crypto in circulation. Another important metric is volatility of a crypto. Volatility is how much the price of a crypto fluctuates. Crypto market is considered as highly volatile, cashing out at a moment might bring in a lot of profit or make you pull your hairs. Thus what we look for is a crypto that is stable enough to give us time to make a calculated decision. Currencies such as Bitcoin, Ethereum and Ethereum-classic (not specifically) are considered as stable. With being stable, they need to be strong enough, so that they do not become invalid or simply stop existing in the market. These features make a crypto reliable, and the most reliable Cryptocurrencies are used as a form of liquidity.

As far is crypto market is concerned, volatility comes hand in hand, but so do its most important property i.e. Decentralization. Crypto market is decentralized, what this means is that the price fall in one crypto does not necessarily means down trend of any other crypto. Thus giving us an opportunity in the form of what are called mutual funds. It's a Concept of managing a portfolio of the crypto currencies that you invest in. The Idea is to spread your investments to multiple Cryptocurrencies so as to reduce the risk involved if any crypto starts on a bear run

Similar to this concept is the concept of Indices in crypto market. Indices provide a standard point of reference for the market as a whole. The Idea is to choose the top currencies in the market and distribute the investment among them. These chosen crypto currencies change if the index are dynamic in nature and only consider the top currencies. For example if a currency 'X' drops down to 11th position in crypto market, the index considering top 10 currencies would now won't consider currency 'X', rather start considering currency 'Y' which have taken it's place. Some providers such as cci30 and crypto20 have tokenized these Crypto indices. While this might look like a good Idea to some, others oppose due to the fact that there are some pre-requisites to invest in these tokens such as a minimum amount of investment is needed. While others such as cryptoz provide the methodology and a the index value, along with the currency constituents so that an investor is free to invest the amount he/she wants to and choose not to invest in a crypto otherwise included in an index. Thus, indices give you a choice to further smooth out the volatility and reduce the risk involved.

Conclusion

The crypto market might look risky at first look and many might still be skeptical of its authenticity, But the maturity that this market has attained within the short period of its existence is amazing and the proof enough for its authenticity. The biggest concern that investors have is volatility, for which there had been a solution in form of indices.

Crypto TREND - Second Edition

In the first edition of CRYPTO TREND we introduced Crypto Currency (CC) and answered several questions about this new market space. There is a lot of NEWS in this market every day. Here are some highlights that give us a glimpse of how new and exciting this market space is:

World's largest futures exchange to create a futures contract for Bitcoin

Terry Duffy, president of the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) said "I think sometime in the second week in December you'll see our [bitcoin futures] contract out for listing. Today you cannot short bitcoin, so there's only one way it can go. You either buy it or sell it to somebody else. So you create a two-sided market, I think it's always much more efficient."

CME intends to launch Bitcoin futures by the end of the year pending regulatory review. If successful, this will give investors a viable way to go "long" or "short" on Bitcoin. Some sellers of Exchange-Traded Funds have also filed for bitcoin ETF's that track bitcoin futures.

These developments have the potential to allow people to invest in the crypto currency space without owning CC's outright, or using the services of a CC exchange. Bitcoin futures could make the digital asset more useful by allowing users and intermediaries to hedge their foreign-exchange risks. That could increase the cryptocurrency's adoption by merchants who want to accept bitcoin payments but are wary of its volatile value. Institutional investors are also used to trading regulated futures, which aren't plagued by money-laundering worries.

CME's move also suggests that bitcoin has become too big to ignore, since the exchange seemed to rule out crypto futures in the recent past. Bitcoin is just about all anyone is talking about at brokerages and trading firms, which have suffered amid rising but unusually placid markets. If futures at an exchange took off, it would be nearly impossible for any other exchange, like CME, to catch up, since scale and liquidity is important in derivatives markets.

"You can't ignore the fact that this is becoming more and more of a story that won't go away," said Duffy in an interview with CNBC. There are "mainstream companies" that want access to bitcoin and there's "huge pent-up demand" from clients, he said. Duffy also thinks bringing institutional traders into the market could make bitcoin less volatile.

Japanese village to use crypto currency to raise capital for municipal revitalization

The Japanese village of Nishiawakura is researching the idea of holding an Initial Coin Offering (ICO) to raise capital for municipal revitalization. This is a very novel approach, and they may ask for national government support or seek private investment. Several ICO's have had serious problems, and many investors are sceptical that any new token will have value, especially if the ICO turns out to be a another joke or scam. Bitcoin certainly was no joke.

INITIAL COIN OFFERING - ( ICO )

We did not mention ICO in the first edition of Crypto Trend, so let's mention it now. Unlike an Initial Public Offering (IPO), where a company has an actual product or service for sale and wants you to buy shares in their company, an ICO can be held by anyone who wants to initiate a new Blockchain project with the intention of creating a new token on their chain. ICO's are unregulated and several have been total shams. A legitimate ICO can however raise a lot of cash to fund a new Blockchain project and network. It is typical for an ICO to generate a high token price near the start and then sink back to reality soon after. Because an ICO is relatively easy to hold if you know the technology and have a few bucks, there have been many, and today we have about 800 tokens in play. All these tokens have a name, they are all crypto currency, and except for the very well known tokens, like Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Litecoin, they are dubbed alt-coins. At this time Crypto Trend does not recommend participating in an ICO, as the risks are extremely high.

As we said in Issue 1, this market is the "wild west" right now, and we are recommending caution. Some investors and early adopters have made large profits in this market space; however, there are many who have lost a lot, or all. Governments are considering regulations, as they want to know about every transaction in order to tax them all. They all have huge debt and are strapped for cash.

So far, the crypto currency market has avoided many government and conventional bank financial problems and pitfalls, and Blockchain technology has the potential to solve many more problems.

A great feature of Bitcoin is that the originators chose a finite number of coins that can ever be generated - 21 million - thus ensuring that this crypto coin can never be inflated. Governments can print as much money (fiat currency) as they like and inflate their currency to death.

Future articles will delve into specific recommendations, however, make no mistake, early investing in this sector will be only for your most speculative capital, money that you can afford to lose.

CRYPTO TREND will be your guide if and when you are ready to invest in this market space.

Stay Tuned!

Crypto Currency Vs Fiat Currency

Crypto currency vs. Fiat currency

Are you aware of the fiat currencies and the crypto currencies? They both are currencies in one form or the other and are open for public use across the world. But they are both different and distinct in their own ways. There is always one group that favors the use of cryptos, while the other has a soft corner for the fiat currencies.

In cashless society- crypto money play a huge role

If you have a look at the market of the 1970s and 1980s, you will find that the cash played the dominant role. But, with the change in the technology, electronic transactions have become the usual norm. Today, more and more people are influenced in becoming the cashless society. With the progress towards the cashless society, cryptocurrencies have a big role to play.

Crypto currency and fiat currency are always at loggerheads

Cryptocurrency and fiat currency are popular types of digital currency, especially when it is about an online transaction. They both are currencies currently in use in the market but have some differences in them. There is a hell lot of hypes that you will hear on a daily basis comparing the crypto money and the fiat money. This article will highlight the difference between the two in a more comprehensive and clear manner.

Differentiating in what the currencies stand for

Before going for the difference between the two, you must understand what do they stand for and how are they are defined.

The fiat currency is a legal tender that has the support of the central government, and it operates in the physical form. For instance, US dollars, British Pounds, Euro etc. On the other hand, the crypto currency is a non-legal tender, and doesn't have any backup from the central government or bank.

Hence, the difference between crypto currency and fiat currency is noted as follows:

• Crypto-currencies are decentralized and global in nature. There are no one entity or government that controls the currency with their laws and regulations. The Fiat currency is centralized, under the control of the laws and regulations of the banks and government.

• Crypto-currencies have their existence only in the digital domain. On the other hand, you will find that the fiat currencies have a tangible and physical existence.

• There is a limited supply of crypto-currencies with a maximum set of them getting supplied in the market. Whereas, the fiat money has an unlimited supply as the government and bank are entitled to produce coins and paper money whenever the situation is required.

• The Bitcoin and other crypto type currencies are created by the computers, while the fiat currencies are issued by the local government and the banks.

• Cryptocurrencies are presented as the public and private code pieces. On the other hand, the fiat currencies are presented in the form of coins and paper money.

• The value of the crypto currencies is not recognized by the supply and demand of the market. Whereas, the fiat currency value is determined by the market regulations of supply and demand.

The different types of crypto and fiat currencies

In the last one decade, the popularity of crypto type currencies has emerged as a huge success. It was in 2009, when Bitcoin was first introduced, and years after several other types of crypto currencies have emerged. Starting from Litecoin. Dogecoin, Ripple to the Dcash and Zcash, there is a plethora of them. On the other hand, the fiat currency has a rich and ancient roots, with the Great British Pound, that dates back to 775 AD. It is considered as the oldest currency in the world that is still in use.

The differences in the anonymity between the two currencies

When you are using the fiat currencies, you need to undergo a user identification or verification process. You are asked to upload a recent picture of yourself and some of the required documents to be issued as per the public authorities. You don't need to undergo any of the required processes with the crypto currencies. Though your personal information and confidential details don't get public, but all your transactions are recorded and tracked in both the fiat and the crypto currencies.

Fiat currency vs crypto currency: transparency level

• The transparency level with the crypto type currencies are considered to be more. This is because the revenue streams are displayed in a public chain. Everyone can witness their own and others' transactions.

• The fiat or govt. currencies are not transparent, as there are not public chains to see the revenue streams of the people.

A comparative historical roots

If you compare the crypto money with that of its counterpart, fiat or government currency, you will find that their existence and creation brings the difference. The Fiat or government currency, dates back its existence as early as 775 AD with the introduction of the Great British Pound. This is why fiat type currency is easily accepted by the people all over.

On the other hand, the crypto coin was perhaps first introduced only a decade ago, with the introduction of Bitcoin in 2009. The challenge that the Bitcoin and other crypto currencies face is catching up with the immense popularity and increasing fan base of the fiat currency. Crypto currency, is no doubt gaining importance and popularity in the economic market, but it has still not been accepted widely in the society as the fiat currency.

A comparative history of the two currencies:

• It was in the 11th century, when the Chinese Song dynasty was perhaps the first one to issue the paper money. It was not allowed to exchange with valuables like gold and silver or silk.

• There were Tally sticks that were introduced as a fiat or government currency. 1100 Tally sticks were introduced as a combat for the shortages in gold.

• 1971, was the year, when the fiat currency received a worldwide recognition. President Nixon introduced it in order to eliminate the dollar pegging system to gold.

• It was in 1998, when the idea of an anonymous electronic cash system emerged by Wei Dai. Bitgold-the very first crypto currency was created by Nick Szabo, but it didn't receive as much attention as Bitcoin.

• In 2009, Bitcoin was introduced in the market, that became the first crypto currency that was accepted across the globe. In 2011 and after, a series of several other crypto currencies were introduced. Some of the popular ones include, Litecoin, Dogecoin, Ethereum, Ripple, Zcash, Dash and so on.

The traits of both the currencies

The potential of the crypto type currencies and fiat currencies, accessing their traits is important. You will find that in some of the criteria, Bitcoin and other crypto currency is superior than the fiat or government currency, and in some cases, the latter surpasses. It is absolutely your call to choose the type of currency (crypto type currency or fiat type currency) based on your personal needs and requirements.

Let us compare their traits with respect to certain factors.

• Both the crypto coins and fiat type currencies are interchangeable in nature.

• As per the portability is concerned both the currencies secure more or less the same position.

• With respect to the non consumable criteria, crypto currency and fiat type currency have the equal status.

• Crypto type currencies have high durability as compared to the fiat-currencies that have moderate level of durability.

• Both the crypto or virtual currencies and the fiat or government currencies ensure secure and safeguarded transactions and exchange.

• Crypto or digital currencies are highly divisible in nature. On the other hand, the fiat type currencies are moderately divisible.

• In terms of the transaction process, the crypto currencies are easy and hassle free. Whereas, on the other hand, the traction process associated with the fiat currencies are easy, but not like the cryptos.

• The crypto based currencies are decentralized and global in nature, unlike the fiat currencies that are centralized and functions under the laws and regulations of the government.

• The crypto based currencies have high scarcity, where as, the fiat currencies are unlimited as the government can issue coins and paper money whenever there is a need.

• The crypto based currencies are based on mathematical algorithms, and are programmable. The fiat currencies are not at all programmable.

• The fiat currencies are sovereign in nature, while the crypto currencies are not.

The process of the functioning of the currencies

You can find the significant differences between the crypto or digital currencies and the fiat currencies with the way they both operate and the transaction process that take place. They are contrasting in nature. The transfer of money using the Bitcoin is very quick, and you absolutely don't need any third party association.

On the other hand, if you are involved with the money exchange using Fiat type currency, a mobile wallet is in use. You can exchange an amount of e-money that gets transferred into the equal e-value amount. Both the fiat and the crypto currencies enable you to purchase everything that you desire. But the processes involved are absolutely distinct from each other.

Depending on the things you purchase, you will find that one currency form is better than the other. This is absolutely your choice.

Is Bitcoin, a crypto currency better than the fiat-currency?

The long term benefits and the capability of the Bitcoins is still not established. But it has been predicted by the crypto currency gurus and experts, that they will go a long way, especially revolutionizing the way the online transactions are done. In the current market, the Bitcoin is mainly included in the online casinos and the gambling, but it is not limited to it.

Furthermore, when you compare the fiat currencies, the Bitcoin allows you to seize the power and authority from the banks and the government since it is not controlled. The cryptography based currency has the capability to create or come up with the free market capitals. Fiat currencies are affected by the inflation and the changes in the market, unlike the crypto based currencies. Such aspects make individuals believe that cryptograph based currencies will soon take over the mainstream currencies and bring a transformation in the way the money is used.

Why is Bitcoins considered to be a better aspect than the fiat type currencies?

• Bitcoin gives you the opportunity to re-create a free market capitalism.

• The power of controlling the money is absolutely with the individuals, and not with the banks like the fiat type currencies.

• When there is an inflation, the Bitcoin is not affected. But the Fiat type currency will be easier to lose and get affected by it.

• The Bitcoin currency is easy easier to exchange and transfer as compared to the fiat or government currencies.

• The transaction fees involved with the Bitcoin are way cheaper and easily affordable.

Crypto currencies seem to be a favorable option among the people

The fiat type currencies are the centralized and legal way of exchanging money. But, the crypto currencies have acquired immense popularity in the past few years. There will never be anyone who would act as a middle man, like the case with the banks. Moreover, the cryptos are way cheaper and less expensive that the conventional fiat currencies.

Send money anywhere directly without waiting for the bank's approval

You can send money to anyone in the world directly, and it is super fast. The money gets cleared within a few minutes time. You don't have to wait for the traditional clearing and verification processes of the banking systems, which might take up to several days to get a clearance. Since it is decentralized and doesn't come under the law and regulations of the government, nobody has any power to do anything with your account.

The blockchain technology has a very big role to play

Thanks to the crypto currencies, that gives us the power and the authority to become our very own bank, and take control over our finances. It is because of the blockchain technology that offers a higher level of sophistication while dealing with the finances. In fact, there are some mainstream financial industries that have started incorporating the idea of the technology.

1.0 INTRODUCTION

One of the sectors which fosters national development is education by ensuring the development of a functional human resource. The institution of strong educational structures leads to a society populated by enlightened people, who can cause positive economic progress and social transformation. A Positive social transformation and its associated economic growth are achieved as the people apply the skills they learned while they were in school. https://www.yes.education The acquisition of these skills is facilitated by one individual we all 'teacher'. For this reason, nations seeking economic and social developments need not ignore teachers and their role in national development.

Teachers are the major factor that drives students' achievements in learning. The performance of teachers generally determines, not only, the quality of education, but the general performance of the students they train. The teachers themselves therefore ought to get the best of education, so they can in turn help train students in the best of ways. It is known, that the quality of teachers and quality teaching are some of the most important factors that shape the learning and social and academic growth of students. Quality training will ensure, to a large extent, teachers are of very high quality, so as to be able to properly manage classrooms and facilitate learning. That is why teacher quality is still a matter of concern, even, in countries where students consistently obtain high scores in international exams, such as Trends in Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS). In such countries, teacher education of prime importance because of the potential it has to cause positive students' achievements.

The structure of teacher education keeps changing in almost all countries in response to the quest of producing teachers who understand the current needs of students or just the demand for teachers. The changes are attempts to ensure that quality teachers are produced and sometimes just to ensure that classrooms are not free of teachers. In the U.S.A, how to promote high quality teachers has been an issue of contention and, for the past decade or so, has been motivated, basically, through the methods prescribed by the No Child Left Behind Act (Accomplished California Teachers, 2015). Even in Japan and other Eastern countries where there are more teachers than needed, and structures have been instituted to ensure high quality teachers are produced and employed, issues relating to the teacher and teaching quality are still of concern (Ogawa, Fujii & Ikuo, 2013). Teacher education is therefore no joke anywhere. This article is in two parts. It first discusses Ghana's teacher education system and in the second part looks at some determinants of quality teaching.

2.0 TEACHER EDUCATION

Ghana has been making deliberate attempts to produce quality teachers for her basic school classrooms. As Benneh (2006) indicated, Ghana's aim of teacher education is to provide a complete teacher education program through the provision of initial teacher training and in-service training programs, that will produce competent teachers, who will help improve the effectiveness of the teaching and learning that goes on in schools. The Initial teacher education program for Ghana's basic school teachers was offered in Colleges of Education (CoE) only, until quite recently when, University of Education, University of Cape Coast, Central University College and other tertiary institutions joined in. The most striking difference between the programs offered by the other tertiary institution is that while the Universities teach, examine and award certificates to their students, the Colleges of Education offer tuition while the University of Cape Coast, through the Institute of Education, examines and award certificates. The training programs offered by these institutions are attempts at providing many qualified teachers to teach in the schools. The National Accreditation Board accredits teacher training programs in order to ensure quality.

The National Accreditation Board accredits teacher education programs based on the structure and content of the courses proposed by the institution. Hence, the courses run by various institutions differ in content and structure. For example, the course content for the Institute of Education, University of Cape Coast is slightly different from the course structure and content of the Center for Continue Education, University of Cape Coast and none of these two programs matches that of the CoEs, though they all award Diploma in Basic Education (DBE) after three years of training. The DBE and the Four-year Untrained Teacher's Diploma in Basic Education (UTDBE) programs run by the CoEs are only similar, but not the same. The same can be said of the Two-year Post-Diploma in Basic Education, Four-year Bachelor's degree programs run by the University of Cape Coast, the University of Education, Winneba and the other Universities and University Colleges. In effect even though, same products attract same clients, the preparation of the products are done in different ways.

It is through these many programs that teachers are prepared for the basic schools - from nursery to senior high schools. Alternative pathways, or programs through which teachers are prepared are seen to be good in situations where there are shortages of teachers and more teachers ought to be trained within a very short time. A typical example is the UTDBE program, mentioned above, which design to equip non-professional teachers with professional skills. But this attempt to produce more teachers, because of shortage of teachers, has the tendency of comprising quality.

As noted by Xiaoxia, Heeju, Nicci and Stone (2010) the factors that contribute to the problems of teacher education and teacher retention are varied and complex, but one factor that teacher educators are concerned about is the alternative pathways through which teacher education occur. The prime aim of many of the pathways is to fast track teachers into the teaching profession. This short-changed the necessary teacher preparation that prospective teachers need before becoming classroom teachers. Those who favor alternative routes, like Teach for America (TFA), according to Xiaoxia, Heeju, Nicci and Stone (2010) have defended their alternative pathways by saying that even though the students are engaged in a short-period of pre-service training, the students are academically brilliant and so have the capacity to learn a lot in a short period. Others argue that in subjects like English, Science and mathematics where there are usually shortages of teachers, there must be a deliberate opening up of alternative pathways to good candidates who had done English, Mathematics and Science courses at the undergraduate level. None of these arguments in support of alternative pathways, hold for the alternative teacher education programs in Ghana, where the academically brilliant students shun teaching due to reasons I shall come to.

When the target is just to fill vacant classrooms, issues of quality teacher preparation is relegated to the background, somehow. Right at the selection stage, the alternative pathways ease the requirement for gaining entry into teacher education programs. When, for example, the second batch of UTDBE students were admitted, I can say with confidence that entry requirements into the CoEs were not adhered to. What was emphasized was that, the applicant must be a non-professional basic school teacher who has been engaged by the Ghana Education Service, and that the applicant holds a certificate above Basic Education Certificate Examination. The grades obtained did not matter. If this pathway had not been created, the CoEs would not have trained students who initially did not qualify to enroll in the regular DBE program. However, it leaves in its trail the debilitating effect compromised quality.

Even with regular DBE programs, I have realized, just recently I must say, that CoEs in, particular, are not attracting the candidates with very high grades. This as I have learnt now has a huge influence on both teacher quality and teacher effectiveness. The fact is, teacher education programs in Ghana are not regarded as prestigious programs and so applicants with high grades do not opt for education programs. And so the majority of applicants who apply for teacher education programs have, relatively, lower grades. When the entry requirement for CoEs' DBE program for 2016/2017 academic year was published, I noticed the minimum entry grades had been dropped from C6 to D8 for West African Senior Secondary School Examination candidates. This drop in standard could only be attributed to CoEs' attempt to attract more applicants. The universities too, lower their cut off point for education programs so as attract more candidates. The universities as alleged by Levine (2006) see their teacher education programs, so to say, as cash cows. Their desire to make money, force them to lower admission standards, like the CoEs have done, in order to increase their enrollments. The fact that, admission standards are internationally lowered in order to achieve a goal of increasing numbers. This weak recruitment practice or lowering of standards introduce a serious challenge to teacher education.

The Japanese have been able to make teacher education and teaching prestigious and therefor attract students with high grades. One may argue that in Japan, the supply of teachers far exceeds the demand and so authorities are not under any pressure to hire teachers. Their system won't suffer if they do all they can to select higher grade student into teacher education programs. To them, the issues relating to the selection of teachers are more important that the issues relating to recruitment. However, in western and African countries the issues relating to recruitment are prime. It is so because the demand for teachers far outweighs that of supply. Western and African countries have difficulties recruiting teachers because teachers and the teaching profession is not held in high esteem. Teacher education programs therefore do not attract students who have very good grades. It is worth noting that, it is not the recruiting procedure only that determines whether or not teacher education will be prestigious, however recruiting candidates with high grades, ensures that after training, teachers will exhibit the two characteristics essential to effective teaching - quality and effectiveness. Teacher education can be effective if the teaching profession is held in high esteem and therefore able to attract the best of applicants. Otherwise, irrespective of incentives put into place to attract applicants and irrespective of the measures that will be put in place to strengthen teacher education, teacher education programs cannot fully achieve its purpose.

In order to strengthen teacher preparation, there is the need for teacher preparation programs to provide good training during the initial teacher training stage, and provide and sustain support during the first few years after the teachers have been employed. That is why Lumpe (2007) supports the idea that pre-service teacher education programs should ensure teachers have gained a good understanding of effective teaching strategies. Methodology classes therefore should center on effective teaching strategies. Irrespective of the pathway the training program takes, the program must be structured such that trainees gain knowledge about pedagogy, besides the knowledge of subject matter. They should also get enough exposure to practical classroom experience like the on-campus and off-campus teaching practice. Whether or not there is the need to fill vacancies in the classroom due to the high teacher attrition, many countries face, teacher preparation programs should aim at producing quality and effective teacher and not just filling vacancies.

3.0 DETERMINANTS OF TEACHER QUALITY

Teacher quality has such enormous influence on students' learning. Anyone who has been in the teaching business will agree that teacher quality is central to education reform efforts. Priagula, Agam & Solmon (2007) described teacher quality as an important in-school factor that impact significantly on students' learning. Quality teachers have positive impact on the success of students. Where the students have quality and effective teachers the students make learning gains while those with ineffective teachers show declines. With respect to the classroom teacher, teacher quality is a continuous process of doing self-assessment so as to have professional development and a self-renewal, in order to enhance teaching. For the teacher educator, an effective or quality teacher is one who has a good subject-matter and pedagogy knowledge, which the he/she can build upon.

Outstanding teachers possess and exhibit many exemplary qualities. They have the skills, subject matter, and pedagogy to reach every child. They help equip their students with the knowledge and breadth of awareness to make sound and independent judgments. Three determinants of teacher quality will be considered here. They are; pedagogical knowledge, subject-matter content knowledge and experience.

3.1 PEDAGOGICAL CONTENT KNOWLEDGE

Trainees of every profession receive some sort of education that will give them insight into and prepare them for the task ahead. That of the teacher is called Pedagogical Content Knowledge or Pedagogical Knowledge. Pedagogical Content Knowledge can be described as, knowledge the teachers use in organizing classrooms, delivering the content the students must show mastery over and for managing the students entrusted into their care. Generally speaking, pedagogical knowledge is knowledge the teacher uses to facilitate students' learning. Pedagogical Content Knowledge is in two major forms - teachers' knowledge of the students' pre-conceptions and teachers' knowledge of teaching methodologies. Students come to class with a host of pre-conceptions relating to the things they are learning. The pre-conceptions may or may not be consistent with the actual subject-matter that is delivered. Teachers must have a good idea of both kinds of preconception, in order to help students, replace the inconsistent pre-conceptions or build upon the consistent pre-conceptions to bring about meaningful learning. Teachers must have a repertoire of teaching methodologies for facilitating students' learning. When the methodologies are applied wrongly little or no learning occurs in students. In effect when either of the two is weak, the teacher becomes a bad one because that teacher will not be able to execute his/her responsibility in the vocation he/she has chosen. Due to this during teacher preparation, Pedagogical Content Knowledge is emphasized.

Teachers gain Pedagogical Content Knowledge from various sources. Friedrichsen, Abell, Pareja, Brown, Lankford and Volkmann (2009) distinguished three potential sources of Pedagogical Content Knowledge. They listed the sources as professional development programs, teaching experiences and lastly teachers' own learning experiences. During their days as students in teacher education programs, teachers are assisted in variety ways to gain Pedagogical Content Knowledge. For examples, during practice, they learn how to put the pedagogical skills they learnt. Teacher education programs and other professional development programs create avenues for teachers to gain pedagogical content knowledge through workshops, lectures, working together with colleagues, and in teaching practice. Then their experiences in their classrooms as they teach students lead them to gain insight into which methodologies work under best under specific situations. That last source is usually ignored. It indicates that the professional knowledge of the teacher begins to develop long before the teacher becomes a candidate entering into teacher education. This means, the way teachers teach influences to a large extent the prospective teachers' professional knowledge and beliefs. This type of learning is, generally, overlooked by teachers at all levels because unintentional and informal, it is.

Pedagogical Content Knowledge can be gained through formal and informal means. Learning opportunities for pedagogical content knowledge, formally, designed by institutions, based on learning objectives which generally are prerequisite for certification, constitutes the formal means. In formal learning, students have clear ideas about the objective of acquiring pedagogical skills. Informal learning, on the other hand, is not organized intentionally. It takes place incidentally and so can be considered as 'side effect'. As Kleickmann et al (2012) described it, it has no goal with respect to learning outcomes, and it is contextualized to a large extent. This is often called learning by experience. Informal, but deliberative, learning situations exists. This occurs in situations such as learning in groups, mentoring, and intentional practicing of some skills or tools. Werquin (2010) described informal, but deliberative, learning as non-formal learning. Unlike formal learning, non-formal learning does not occur in educational institutions and does not attract certification. Whether pedagogical content knowledge

Pedagogical Content Knowledge is used to bridges the gap between content knowledge and actual teaching. By bridging the gap, it ensures that discussions of content are relevant to teaching and that discussions themselves are focused on the content. As such, Pedagogical Content Knowledge is something teachers must pay attention to. Teachers who possess and use good Pedagogical content knowledge have good control over classroom management and assessment, knowledge about learning processes, teaching methods, and individual characteristics (Harr, Eichler, & Renkl, 2014). Such teachers are able to create an atmosphere that facilitates learning and are also able to present or facilitate the learning of concepts by even lazy students. They are able to make learning easier by students hence teacher with high pedagogical content knowledge can be classified as quality teachers. It is worth noting that it is not pedagogical content knowledge only that makes good teachers. A teacher will not be good if he/she is master of pedagogical knowledge but lacks subject matter content knowledge.

3.2 SUBJECT-MATTER KNOWLEDGE

The goal of teaching is to help learners develop intellectual resources that will enable them participate fully in the main domains of human taught and enquiry. The degree to which the teacher can assist students to learn depends on the subject-matter the teacher possesses. That is to say, teachers' knowledge of subject-matter has influence on their efforts to assist students to learn that subject-matter. If a teacher is ignorant or not well informed he/she cannot do students any good, he/she will rather much harm them. When the teacher conceives knowledge in such a way that it is narrow, or do not have accurate information relating to a particular subject-matter, he/she will pass on these same shallow or inaccurate information to students. This kind of teacher will hardly recognize the consistent pre-conceptions and challenge the misconceptions of students. Such a teacher can introduce misconceptions as he/she uses texts uncritically or inappropriately alter them. It is the teacher's conception of knowledge that shapes the kind of questions he/she asks and the ideas he/she reinforces as well as the sorts of tasks the teacher designs.

Teachers' subject-matter matter content knowledge must go beyond the specific topics of their curriculum. This is because the teacher does not only define concepts for students. Teachers explain to students why a particular concept or definition is acceptable, why learners must know it and how it relates to other concepts or definitions. This can be done properly if the teacher possesses a good understanding of the subject-matter. This type of understanding includes an understanding of the intellectual context and value of the subject-matter. The understanding of subject matter generally reinforces the teacher's confidence in delivering lessons, thereby making him/her a good teacher.

3.3 EXPERIENCE

Experience is one of the factors that account for variations in teacher salary, the world over (Hanushek and Rivkin, 2006). The fact that salary differences are based on the number of years the teacher has served, suggests that employers believe the teachers experience makes him/her a better teacher and such a teacher must be motivated to remain in the service. Though some studies like that Hanushek (2011) have suggested that the experience positively influences teacher quality only in the first few years, and that beyond five years, experience ceases to have positive impact on teacher efficacy, common sense tells us the one who has been doing something for a long time does better and with ease. Experience will therefore continue to pay, since, more experienced teachers have the propensity to know more about the subject-matter they teach, and think and behave appropriately in the classroom, and have much more positive attitudes toward their students.

Teachers who have spent more years of teaching, usually, feel self-assured in their skill to use instructional and assessment tools. These teachers are able to reach even the most difficult-to-reach students in their classrooms. They also have greater confidence in their capability to control the class and prevent incidence that might make the teaching and learning process difficult. Their experience makes them much more patient and tolerant than their counterpart with few years of experience (Wolters & Daugherty, 2007). Novice teachers progressively gain and develop teaching and classroom management skills needed to make them effective teachers. They spend time learning themselves - trying to understand fully the job they have entered. The teachers who have spent more years teaching have gained a rich store of knowledge the less experience teachers will be trying to build. Teachers' sense of effectiveness is generally associated with good attitudes, behaviors and interactions with their students. This is something the experienced teacher has already acquired. These explain why more experienced teachers are usually more effective teachers than the novices.

Another reason more experienced teachers tend to be better teachers than their inexperienced counterparts, is that, experienced teachers have gained additional training, and hence, have acquired additional teaching skills, needed to be effective from direct experience. Usually the training of teachers does not end at the initial teacher training stage. After graduation, teachers attend capacity building seminars, workshops and conferences. These give teachers the opportunity to learn emerging teaching techniques and also refresh their memories on the things they have learnt. Such seminars, workshops and conferences mostly add to the teacher's store of knowledge. The other advantage the experienced teachers have is that they have encountered more situations to develop the skills needed to be effective teachers through additional direct, and sometimes indirect experiences. That is to say, they have encountered challenging situations which gave them the opportunity to build their skills. Whether they were able to overcome these challenging situation or not, does not matter so much. If the teachers encounter difficult situations in their classes, they learn from them. If the teachers are able to overcome difficult situations, they get to know how to resolve such situations at the next encounter, otherwise their reflections and suggestions from co-teachers gives them ideas about how to approach same or similar situations. They also have a greater chance of being exposed to current and competent models. More experienced teachers have a higher chance of demonstrating superior self-efficacy in most areas, because they have learned the needed classroom management and instructional skills from their colleagues. Teachers who have been in active service for many years are most likely to be classified as quality teachers, because of what they have learnt from in-service training, capacity building workshops and seminars, their interaction with other teachers and what they have learnt from experience in their classrooms.

4.0 CONCLUSION

Teacher education aims at providing teacher education program through initial teacher training for teacher trainees, and in-service training for practicing teachers in order to produce knowledgeable and committed teachers for effective teaching and learning. To realize this mission, teacher education programs have been instituted for the training of teachers. These programs differ from one country to another. Even within the same country, there may be different programs training teachers for the same certificate. These alternative programs are a created, specially, where there are shortages of teachers, and attempts are being made to train large numbers of teachers at a time. These alternative programs ease the teacher certification requirement, allowing those who under normal circumstances would not become teachers. This introduces serious challenges. Because large numbers of teachers are needed within a short period, their training is somewhat fast-tracked resulting in what is usually referred to as half-baked teachers - teachers of lower quality. Applicants who did not gain admission into the program of their choice come into teaching only because they have nowhere else to go. Such applicants tend not to be dedicated to the teaching service in the end. Fast-tracking initial teacher preparation actually harm the mission for which the initial teacher training institutions were created. This is because the teacher produced through such training are usually not of high quality.

Teacher preparation has a direct impact on students' achievement. The most important in-school factors upon which student's success hinges, is a teacher who has been well prepared. A well-prepared teacher is one who has gone through a strong teacher preparation program. It is therefore necessary for educators to work to create needed improvements in teacher preparation. To strengthen teacher preparation, teacher preparation programs must provide strong preparation during the initial teacher training period and give support to fresh teachers until they are inducted. Pre-service teacher education should emphasize the acquisition of effective teaching strategies. This can be done in methodology classes and corresponding field experiences. Students who have quality teachers make achievement gains, while those with ineffective teachers show declines, therefore having high quality teachers in classrooms has a positive impact on students' achievements.

Pedagogical content knowledge, subject matter content knowledge and experience determines the quality of a teacher. Teachers make subject-matter accessible to students by using Pedagogical content knowledge. Pedagogical content knowledge has two broad areas of knowledge: teachers' knowledge of students' subject-matter pre-conceptions and teachers' knowledge of teaching strategies. What Pedagogical content knowledge does is that, it links subject-matter content knowledge and the practice of teaching, making sure that discussions on content are appropriate and that, discussions focus on the content and help students to retain the content. The teacher's job is to facilitate the learning of subject-matter by students. The degree to which the teacher can assist students to learn depends on the subject-matter content knowledge the teacher possesses. Teachers who possess inaccurate information or comprehend the subject-matter in narrow ways, harm students by passing on the same false or shallow subject-matter knowledge to their students. The last of the three determinants of teacher quality is experience. Teachers who have served more years gain additional and more specific training by attending seminars, conferences and workshops and in-service training and so tend to understand their job better. They also might have met and solved many challenging situations in their classroom and therefore know exactly what to do in any situation.

It doesn't matter whether you are writing a casual email, an important job application letter or copy for your website, producing something that is free from grammatical and spelling errors is critical.

Proofreading is time consuming and mundane and for this reason many people opt to use automated spell checkers. However, as we have proven on this site, many of these software programs have flaws and can miss very obvious errors. https://traductoresabc.com/ There really is no substitute for thorough proofreading, and you should never treat this part of the writing process lightly. Many people say that they don't actually know how to proofread properly. For this reason we have compiled a list of tips that may help you if you wish to check your own work for spelling and grammatical errors.

Proofreading requires concentration

Before starting the proofreading process you need to find somewhere quiet where you can place all of your attention on the task at hand. You cannot adequately proofread a document while sat on a bus or train, or while the television is on in the background. You need to have your attention based solely on the document you are proofreading and should try and place yourself somewhere that is free from distraction or potential interruptions.

Create a physical copy of the document you are proofreading

Professional proofreaders will always create a physical document for proofreading purposes and will often commence the editing process by making notes on this document. If you are going to proofread a piece of text yourself you shouldn't try and do it from a computer screen. Text appears differently on screen and this can affect how your eyes see something.

Proofread by reading the document out aloud

Many proofreaders will read something out aloud to themselves when they are attempting to identify potential grammatical errors. When reading something aloud you utilize two senses; your sight and your hearing, and therefore increase your chances of identifying something in the written document that does not quite sound right. Something as simple as a misplaced comma will impact how a document is read and, when the reader poses in the wrong place as a result of seeing the comma, will instantly stand out as being incorrect.

Proofread homonyms with care

When proofreading, the most common mistakes that our copyeditors spot concern the use of homonyms. A homonym is a word that is pronounced in the same way as another word but has an entirely different meaning. Examples of homonyms are tea and tee, bear and bare, so and sew etc. Both human proofreaders and computerized proofreaders often miss errors relating to homonyms because they are not easy to spot. However, it is crucial that you check for them thoroughly, as a misused homonym can reflect extremely badly on your ability as a writer. For this reason you need to be extremely careful when you are proofreading and need to be prepared to invest a great deal of time and effort into thoroughly checking your document.

Pay attention to contractions and apostrophes when proofreading

Another common area in which our proofreaders identify mistakes is related to the incorrect use of apostrophes and contractions. Very often errors are made with words like you're and your, their and they're and-the most common one of all-it's and its. These types of errors are quite often caused by a lack of grammatical knowledge and understanding as opposed to being the result of poor proofreading. If you are unsure of the grammatical rules underpinning the use of apostrophes and contractions then you really should consider using online proofreading services.

Proofread text by reading it backwards

One technique that professional proofreaders use is to read the document backwards; starting with the last word and finishing with the first word. Although this sounds a little odd, it really is effective in assisting you to spot errors. Again, this will take a great deal of time and effort but it will undoubtedly help you to identify errors that you may have missed when you read the text in the normal manner. One of the main reasons this works is because the human brain is trained to read things in a certain way, and will often connect words automatically, even if they are not actually there. By reading something backwards you force your brain to concentrate on each word in turn and therefore proofread what is actually on the paper as opposed to what your brain is tricked into seeing.

Enlarge the text before proofreading

Another trick that many proofreaders use is to enlarge the font of the text that they are proofreading. This makes it much easier to spot mistakes.

Proofread your document a day or two after you wrote it

It is always useful to leave some time between writing a document and proofreading it. Quite often you may have been concentrating on the text for sometime and may miss mistakes because you are too immersed in it. By extracting yourself and returning a day or two later, you will be able to proofread the document with fresh eyes and will be in a much better position to spot mistakes. If you are in a rush consider using an online proofreading service. For a low price you can submit your document and have it proofread by experts while you sleep.

Ask for someone to help you to proofread your document

Even when you have already proofread something yourself you should always look for a second set of eyes to double check your work. They will be able to read your document from afresh and-because they will not be as closely engaged with it as you are-they will be more likely to be able to identify errors. If you are not confident in your own ability to write well, asking for help will be all the more critical. If you have the resource you really should use a professional proofreader. There is no substitute for English experts who know how to spot problems and errors. Proofreading services are not the unattainable, expensive options that they used to be. You can access great proofreaders online at very affordable prices.

Vappingo.com is an online editing, proofreading and writing services provider. They are copywriting and proofreading experts. Their state of the art 24/7 online ordering system allows customers to quickly and easily access expert proofreading services at an affordable, transparent price. Vappingo's easy to use interface allows customers to track the progress of their order and communicate with their writer throughout the duration of order fulfillment.

The Proofreader: The Author's Last Line of Defense

I once was at an event where I met someone who worked for a newspaper. I asked him, "Are you the editor or do you write a column?" He replied, "No, I'm just the proofreader." The response made me laugh because he implied that he didn't think too highly of his role at the newspaper; in my opinion, however, the proofreader is one of the most important people in the production of any piece of writing-whether it's a newspaper, book, or marketing piece.

You probably know someone-it might even be you-who takes delight in finding typos and telling everyone about it. This person isn't afraid to post a comment on your Facebook page or blog to point out the word you misspelled. Even people who aren't that rude will often think less of a book or publication when they see that it is filled with typos. Errors in a publication cry out that the work is of poor quality. And today, with the influx of self-published books into the market, I am more careful than ever in reading a few paragraphs and looking for typos before I decide whether to spend money on a book.

An editor is a vital part of a book's production. A traditional publishing house will assign an editor to a book, but it will also assign a proofreader. Often, three or four people will edit/proofread the book before it goes into publication. Self-published authors who do their homework generally realize they need an editor, but they don't always realize that they also need a proofreader.

An editor might also do the proofreading, but I would caution any author to remember that all editors are not the same. Editors come with various qualifications and skills. One might be good at content editing to help you enhance your plot and characters, but he might not catch a typo like "lightening" when you meant "lightning" or even be a good speller. Another editor might be able to punctuate sentences properly, but he does not have the creative mindset to know how to develop a storyline or make an argument flow. And even the best editor is likely to become so close to the work, just like the author, that after the first or second pass through the book, he tends to read with his memory, believing he knows what is on the page, rather than with his eyes, which would actually see what is on the page.

The editors I know who produce quality work are aghast when typos are found in books they have edited, and they are also willing to admit they are not perfect-that they can miss a misspelled word, or a word that is misused in a certain context. And a good editor will not be territorial but rather pleased that an author hires a proofreader to double-check the work.

Problems can occur when working with a proofreader, so authors must be upfront with the proofreader about what they want. Many times I've heard editors complain about proofreaders because authors come back to them saying the proofreader found all kinds of errors in the book; the editor then discovers that the proofreader, instead of proofreading, decided to play editor and rewrite the book, not correcting typos but changing phrases based on his own stylistic preferences; the author, in turn, not possessing good editing skills, might not know the difference between rewording a grammatically incorrect sentence and a stylistic change, which can lead the author to believing the editor was incompetent because the proofreader went overboard.

To solve this problem, authors should always let proofreaders know that they simply want the proofreader to look for typos or grammatical errors. Nothing stylistic should be changed. Furthermore, authors should communicate with both the proofreader and editor. The editor should be allowed to look at the changes or corrections the proofreader suggests and then approve them or explain why they should not be accepted. The editor should get this second pass both so he is aware of where he made a mistake and to ensure that the proofreader is not introducing new errors into the book. I can't tell you how many times an author who hired a good editor ends up producing a book with typos because the proofreader was incompetent. Remember, just because someone is a teacher or has an English degree does not necessarily mean he or she will make a good proofreader any more than a good mechanic will necessarily be a good person to design a vehicle.

When hiring an editor, let him know up-front that you plan to hire a proofreader also. If he becomes argumentative about it, you might want to look for a different editor. If you and the editor are in agreement that a proofreader is a good idea, you might ask the editor to recommend a proofreader-perhaps he has worked with a proofreader in the past and they have worked well together. If not, ask for recommendations from other authors you know. While you can go online to find a proofreader, it's always best to get recommendations. And before you hire a recommended proofreader, look at the book he proofread. If Mary Jane tells you that Henry proofread her book and did a great job but you find a typo on the first page, think again-if you read another ten pages and don't find a typo, Henry might still be a good choice; no one will catch every typo. Just be discerning and do a little research before hiring a proofreader.

Finally, just as you would ask your editor to give you an edit sample of a few pages to determine whether you can work with him, you should ask the proofreader to give you a proofreading sample to see what sorts of errors or issues he will catch. If he rewrites your manuscript, think again, or realize that he's finding issues that your editor should have caught. The point is to make sure you know what you are paying for before you hire someone.

A proofreader can be the last line of defense between an author and the reading public. Don't try to cut corners by not hiring a proofreader. Good proofreading is essential for producing a quality product that will make readers rave about your book rather than rant about your typos.

Irene Watson is the Managing Editor of Reader Views, where avid readers can find reviews of recently published books as well as read interviews with authors. Her team also provides author publicity and a variety of other services specific to writing and publishing books.

As we prepare for the coming wave of next generation systems, we should be anticipating improvements on all the good things we associate with the current crop of systems. Moving forward we expect: better graphics, faster processors, more engaging games, you get the idea. But not everything that we're anticipating will be a progressive movement for gaming. At least, as far as Sony and Microsoft are concerned, you can wave goodbye to playing used games on their systems. Although these are just rumors at this point, it wouldn't be surprising if they came to fruition. It's very plausible, especially when taking into consideration that several game publishers have already fired shots at the used game market.

Most notable is Electronic Arts(EA), who became the first publisher to institute the practice of charging gamers, who bought used games, a fee to access codes that come with the game. To elaborate, Downloadable Content(DLC) codes are included with new copies of a particular game and only with those codes, can that content be accessed. EA expanded its project to include playing used games online. Gamers would now have to pay $10, in addition to the cost of the used game that they purchased, in order to have access to the online components of their game. https://www.definitylegend.com/ Ubisoft has since followed suit, requiring an online pass for its games as well. You can identify the games which require an online pass as they bare the,"Uplay Passport", logo on the box.

Ubisoft decided they'd take things a step further and implement Digital Rights Management, a practice more often associated with DVD or CD anti-piracy efforts. Assassins Creed 2 was the first game to be effected by this practice. In order to play the PC version of Assassins Creed 2, gamers are required to create an account with Ubisoft and remain logged into that account in order to play the game. This means that if you lose your internet connection, the game will automatically pause and try to reestablish the connection. However, if you're unfortunate enough to be unable to reconnect to the internet you'll have to continue from your last saved game; losing any progress you may have made since then. This will be the case for all of Ubisoft's PC titles, regardless of one playing single-player or multi-player. While Digital Rights Management has been used to combat DVD and CD piracy for quite some time now, this will mark the first time it's been used for a video game. In light of Ubisoft's implementation of DRM, Matthew Humphries of Geek.com, cautions that it's feasible that eventually even console games will require online registration in order to play them.

So what's the reason for all of this? According to According to Denis Dyack, the head of Silicon Knights, the sale of used games is cannibalizing the profit of the primary game market. He also claims that the used game market is somehow causing the price of new games to rise. His proposed solution is to move away from physical disks and embrace digital distribution. Essentially he'd like to see services like Steam or EA's Origin replace traditional hard copies. There are even rumors that the X-Box 720 will embrace the exclusive use of digital downloads and not use disks at all. Whether Microsoft will actually follow through with that plan remains to be seen.

One could argue that Sony has already laid the ground work for preventing used games from functioning on their future system. At the very least, they've already made quite an effort to make used games significantly less desirable. Kath Brice, of Gamesindustry.biz, reported that the latest SOCOM game for PSP, SOCOM: U.S. Navy SEALs Fireteam Bravo 3, will require customers who purchase a used copy to pay an addition $20 dollars to receive a code for online play.

I'd like to see some quantifiable evidence to support the claim that used games are in fact hurting the sales of new games at all. Without some actual facts, it sounds to me like a whole lot to do about nothing. Case in point, within 24 hours Modern Warfare 3 sold 6.5 million copies, grossing $400 million dollars in sales. Correct me if I'm wrong but you haven't heard Infinity Ward complaining about the used game market and it affecting their bottom line. That's likely because they're too busy counting their money earned by creating games that people actually want to play. Imagine that. Maybe the problem isn't that used games have a negative impact on the sale of new games but, the problem is instead that game developers need to make better games that gamers are willing to pay full price for.

In my opinion, not every game is worth $60 simply because it's the suggested retail price. Looking at things objectively, not every game is created equally, therefore not every game is worthy of costing $60. Whether it's because that particular game failed to meet expectations and live up to the hype or because it lacks any sort of replay value. It's ludicrous to argue that gamers should pay top dollar for every game especially when they all too often turn out to be horrible disappointments, like Ninja Gadian 3, or they're riddled with glitches like Skyrim.

I suspect that the War on Used Games is nothing more than a money grab by developers, upset that they're unable to cash in on a very lucrative market. To put it in dollars and cents, in 2009 GameStop reported nearly $2.5 million dollars in revenue from the sale of used consoles and used games. And not one red cent of that profit reaches the pockets of game publishers. Greed as the motivating factor for the declaration of War on Used Games is transparent. Especially when you consider that when GameStop began separating their revenue from new games and used games in their financial statements, EA thereafter instituted their $10 dollar fee for used games.

In the absence of empirical evidence, I'll have to settle for anecdotal. I'll use myself as an example. I'm planning to purchase a used copy of Ninja Gaidan 2. I've never been a huge fan of the series. I didn't play the first one because I didn't have an Xbox and at the time it was an Xbox exclusive. And I never played the original version. Needless to say, I was never clamoring to play Ninja Gaidan 2. However the innovation in the second incarnation of the game, which allows you to disembowel your enemies, is enough of a novelty that I'd like to play through it at some point. I can buy it now, used, for about 10 dollars. If it was only being sold at full price I would more than likely pass on playing it altogether or maybe rent it. My point is that game developers are not losing money because of used games; you can't miss money you weren't going to receive anyway. They're simply not getting money they weren't going to get to begin with.

Unless you have a significant amount of disposable income and a considerable amount of free time, you're probably like me and you prioritize which games you plan to purchase and how much you're willing to pay for them. You decide which games are must haves and which games you'd like to play but are willing to wait for a price drop before getting them. Then there are the games which you're interested in, but they tend to fall through the cracks because they're not all that high on your radar and you'll maybe pick them up several months later, or even years after their release, if you ever pick them up at all.

I find it ironic that the looming death of the used game market could likely spell the demise of GameStop who, ironically, push their customers to pre-order new games and purchase them at full price. One would think that game publishers would be appreciative about this service and not detest GameStop and treat used games with such scorn. Pre-orders not only help promote their games but they function as a forecast of potential sales as well. Even Dave Thier, a contributor for Forbes Online, who describes GameStop as, "a parasitic bloodsucker that doesn't do much besides mark up discs and sit in the mall", recognizes the folly of passing the burden of the used game market onto the consumer.

I've only once pre-ordered a game myself. At the behest of J. Agamemnon, I pre-ordered Battlefield 3, which is ironically a property of EA. I paid full price for this game and was happy to do so. In large part because I was granted access to several weapons and maps that I would have had to wait to download had I not pre-ordered it. I propose that instead of punishing gamers for wanting to save their hard earned cash, the gaming industry needs to learn to incentivize gamers into wanting to pony up to that $60 dollar price tag.

I titled this article The War on Used Games in an effort to be tongue-in-cheek and poke fun at how whenever the government declares war on drugs or terror or whatever it may be, they only succeed in exacerbating the problem. It should come as no surprise seeing as how the government tends to take the most asinine approach possible trying to "solve" problems. The end result is always the same; precious time and resources are wasted, and the issue is that much worse than it was before they intervened. If the gaming industry does indeed go down this path; they'll only hurt themselves in the long run, fail to share in the revenue they so greedily covet and worst of all, hurt their customers, who keep the gaming industry abreast with currency.

It's very ironic and actually very fitting that it's EA who are spearheading the effort to attack the used game market when they themselves are one of the largest beneficiaries of used games. Chipsworld MD Don McCabe, told GamesIndustry.biz that EA has what he referred to as a "franchise software house" in that they "upgrade their titles; FIFA, Madden; all of these are effectively the same title upgraded each year. And people trade in last year's for this year's." He went onto say that those titles are the ones which are most often traded in. Shutting down the used games market effectively destroys a tried and true method in which fans of EA's franchises keep up-to-date with each of EA's annual releases. Aside from nostalgia, what would be the point of holding onto FIFA 11, when FIFA 12 is right around the corner?

Don McCabe, an executive at Chipsworld, explains that, "consumers won't prosper under this new system, as copies of the game will lose their resale value". He goes on to say that retailers will "just readjust [the price] bearing in mind you have to buy the voucher." The CEO of SwapGame cautions that "customers who trade in for cash or credit do so to acquire new games they could otherwise not afford." This means that ultimately it will be the publisher who ends up losing money because when retailers adjust their prices to reflect the increase in cost for used games, the resale value of the game will drop and new games are less likely to be purchased.

I'm a fan of several EA franchises, I enjoy Ubisoft's Assassin's Creed and I'm a die hard Sony PlayStation enthusiast. As their customer, I'm outraged and offended by their current practices. I fear for what future methods they may use to further stifle or even kill the used game market. That said, I'm hopeful that these companies will be receptive to the outcry of their customers and adhere to our wants. I implore them to discontinue punishing their customers in an effort to capture what they perceive as missed profits. They risk not only alienating their customers but they risk finding themselves with significantly fewer customers and substantially less profit. And at the end of the day, that's really the bottom line.

Guide to Building a Gaming Computer

A Gaming Computer, also known as gaming PC, is a personal computer that is capable of playing computationally and graphically demanding video games. They are very similar to conventional computers with the exception that these machines are fitted with performance-oriented video card and other specifications. This type of computers can be easily bought in the market but at a much higher price compared to the conventional computers. Since most of the gamers are both cost and performance conscious, most of them opt to build their own gaming computer than buying a built-in gaming computer.

Building your own custom gaming computer simply means you buy all your computer components separately and piece them up together to guild your gaming PC. With this method you can achieve a fast and cost-effective gaming computer suited to your own gaming needs. Besides saving a lot of money and having an efficient machine, building your own gaming computer can also be a lot of fun.

How to choose your components?

Perhaps the biggest challenge one can face when building their own gaming computer is choosing the right components for your needs. So without further ado, here is a simple guide in order to help you in building your own gaming computer.

1. Central Processing Unit (CPU)

The Central Processing Unit (CPU) is one of the most important core components in all computer systems. The CPU is a portion in the system that carries out the instructions of a computer program. In simple terms it could describe as the brains of the computer. The performance of your games and other applications will depend on this microprocessor.

Choosing the best Central Processing Unit (CPU) for your gaming computer can be a hard decision to make. Picking the latest, fastest, or most expensive processor on the market won't always result in the right CPU for your particular system. Some processors are designed to work with a certain or specific motherboards, thus the CPU type limits the motherboard type you can use.

For a gaming computer, you will really need a powerful CPU for it to performing superbly. Luckily these CPUs are supplied by Intel and AMD (Advanced Micro Devices) at an affordable price.

Intel has the Core i7 and Core i5 processor models. Currently these models are the most popular ones used for gaming purposes, which are mostly recommended for gaming computers.

AMD, on the other hand, has the Athlon and Phenom series. If you want to go AMD, you can try the most recommended Phenom X4 series.

2. Motherboard

The motherboard is the hub of the computer system. It is where all other components are connected to. If we consider the CPU as the brain of the computer system, then the motherboard is the central nervous system. Thus buying the best motherboard is a good investment.

After choosing your CPU, next you need to consider choosing your motherboard for your gaming computer. When selecting a motherboard, you should remember three things.

First, a motherboard will generally support one type of processor only. Different CPUs have different connectors that physically vary with one another, Make sure that your CPU plug is suitable to your mother board connector.

Second, motherboards have a certain speed limitation depending on the processor model. Maximum processor speed allowed by the motherboard will be quoted in the motherboard specifications. Before buying, check whether your selected motherboard can support your chosen CPU.

Third, motherboards are the ones who can dictate the type and amount of RAM you can have. In a gaming computer, you would want to have either DDR SDRAM or RDRAM which is at least 1G worth. So ensure that your motherboard can support this type and amount of memory.

Here are some examples of well-known motherboards manufacturers where you can browse for your perfect gaming motherboard: ASUS, ABIT, MSI, XFX, EVGA, Intel, and Gigabyte.

3. Hard Drive

The hard drive is the computer component responsible for storing your files and programs. When buying a hard drive for your gaming computer, consider these three main features: speed, size, and the type of interface.

[Speed] Basically the faster the hard drive spins the fast you are able to access and transfer your data. Currently, the best hard drives in the market these days can have a speed around 7200rpm (rounds per minute). In a gaming computer, you don't want anything less than this; else it will cause delays between reading and writing data.

Faster hard drives that reach speeds of 10,000rpm and 15,000rpm are available in the market at a higher price. For your gaming computer, a 7200rpm hard drive is already enough for but if you can shell out more money, then you can opt for these faster hard drives.

[Size] Hard drives come in different sizes, which can range from 80GB to 500GB and more. For your gaming computer, it is always recommended that you purchase the largest hard drive you can afford. This will allow you to store lots and lots of software and data (including games).

[Interface] The interface of the hard drive is responsible for managing the exchange of data between a computer and the hard drive. Currently, the most commonly used hard drive interface used today is Advanced Technology Attachment (ATA); which comes in two forms, the original Parallel ATA (PATA) and the newer and faster Serial ATA (SATA).

There's also the expensive Small Computer System Interface (SCSI) which are used primarily for high-end workstation computer. For you gaming computer, it is sufficient enough to have the SATA if your motherboard can support it.

4. Video Card

Choosing the right video card that is supported by both your CPU and motherboard is a very important and tough decision to make. The gaming video card you choose will be responsible for producing the dazzling 3D graphics and effects seen in the latest computer games. A better graphics card can deliver a better 3D gaming experience, so the best and affordable video card should be bought for you gaming computer.

The graphic processing unit (GPU) can be connected to your motherboard through AGP or PCI Express slot. For you gaming computer, it is recommended that you use a graphics card connected through a PCI Express slot on your motherboard.

The speed and efficiency of the GPU should not be the only thing that counts when buying your video card. You should also consider the advance 3D rendering effects such as anti-aliasing, anisotropic filtering, bump-mapping, pixel shaders and much more. For your gaming computer, consider a video card that can support such latest 3D rendering techniques in the software world.

Like the CPU market, there are two primary competing companies that current dominate the graphic card. These companies are ATI and nVidia. ATI is responsible for the Radeon series, while nVidia is marketing the GeForce line of cards.

5. Power Supply

One of the vital and overlooked components of the computer system is the power supply. Without a power supply, the computer will not be able to operate its functions. Its main purpose is to convert AC power from the main line to usable low-voltage DC power for the internal components of the computer. The power supply gives out three different DC voltages to your computer 12VDC, 5VDC, and 3VDC which are used differently by computer components.

Each power supply has a certain amount of energy or wattage based on their maximum output power. Wattages commonly ranges from 300W to 500W but some high-end gaming power supply can reach ranges of 800W to 1kW.

If you want to use a power supply for you gaming computer, it is recommended to have at least a power supply ranging from 500W and above.

6. Gaming Monitor

One of the most expensive components in your gaming computer would be the computer monitor. When buying a gaming computer monitor you only need to consider three things: size, native resolution, and price.

[Size] Computer monitors comes in different sizes from the small 15 inches to a larger 23 inches, and even larger. 17 inches is a common size and large enough for most people, but if you want to increase your viewing and gaming experience then a larger size monitor is advisable.

[Native Resolution] Each monitor has been designed for a certain resolution, which is known as the native resolution. If you change the resolution of a monitor to a resolution that doesn't coincide with its native resolution; the image will then be scaled and the quality will be lessen significantly. Native resolution of a monitor is dependent on its size. Here are some examples of native resolution for common sizes:

17 inches 1024x768

19 inches 1280x1024

20 inches 1600x1200

[Cost] Prices vary greatly between sizes, where smaller ones cost cheaper than larger ones. So choose a size that can satisfy your need while taking into consideration your budget.

7. Gaming Keyboard

Custom built keyboards designed specifically for gaming can give an edge to a gamer using it. But currently, there is no general gaming keyboard that can be recommended for all gamers. Why? This is due to the fact that different gamers have different or varying styles of play, posture, and wrist anatomy. So basically, there is no such thing as a gaming keyboard that is best for everyone.

According to Build-Gaming-Computers, one of the best gaming keyboards available in the market is the Logitech G15 Gaming Keyboard. This keyboard has been custom-made to meet a gamer's need. It specifically features:

a. An adjustable, backlit LCD screen that displays important in-game information during gameplay;

b. Backlit keys to play in the dark or low-lit areas;

c. 18 programmable "G keys" used to execute macros; and

d. Timer controls to keep track of game events.

8. Gaming Mouse

Like the gaming keyboard, choosing the best gaming mouse can help increase the level of your gaming experience. Using a custom-designed gaming mouse gives the best accuracy and control which allows you to play games at your best.

Computer mouse come in different types which are the optical, laser, and ball mice types. Currently, optical and laser type mouse are commonly used due to their precision and better tracking, allowing for more accuracy and control.

When selecting the best mouse for your gamin computer, you should consider a number of factors. One of the most important one is the resolution. Resolution is the number of pixels per inch a mouse's optical sensor and focusing lens can see when you move the mouse around. The higher the resolution a mouse has, the better the accuracy and precision.

Next consider the responsiveness of the mouse. It is the number of megapixels per second the mouse can process. This is important especially in fast-paced games such as first person shooters games. The more megapixels per second the mouse can process, the more responsive it is; thus it offers faster and precise control in your games.

How many of us have not eaten a chocolate bar? I am sure the count isn't many, unless you are allergic to the delicious confectionary. From the simple milk chocolate bar to the elaborate bars that include caramel, marshmallows, nuts, or coconut there probably isn't a more popular type of chocolate in the world.

From its beginning in the 1800s it quickly became a much desired product and by the early 1900s was a huge commercial success that has done nothing but increase since its introduction. Many of the bars that are sold on the market today are still the exact recipe of those from the beginning and have also remained affordable. https://chocolatebarsav.com/ Until the late 1940s you could buy chocolate bars for a few pennies, even though they are more than that now they are worth it!

Even though there are thousands of different types of chocolate bars being marketed now the number of actual chocolate making companies is much smaller. The industry is dominated by a handful of giants in the chocolate business that will go out and buy smaller companies and absorb that company's products into their mix. The chocolate bar is one of the most widespread forms of chocolate and commonly found even in vending machines. One of the biggest introductions lately has been the addition of nutritional value by adding protein and additional vitamins to the delicious confection.

Of course there is no way that one can talk about chocolate bars without covering Hershey's chocolate bars. These delicious and popular milk chocolate bars are created in a wide variety of flavors that all get their origin from the classic Hershey's chocolate bar made by the founder, Milton Hershey in 1900. The way the bars are made today hasn't changed much; they still select the most high quality cocoa beans and then roast them. Afterwards the process consists of winnowing, conching, tempering, and then molding and packaging for shipping.

The vast majority of chocolate makers that produce chocolate bars use the same exact recipe for their products. What makes them different in taste and quality is the cocoa beans they select, the taste of chocolate can vary greatly depending upon the different plant varieties and even from where in the world they come. One of the most popular chocolate makers, Nestle, actually has three bars hailing from three different countries. Like other manufacturers, the makers of chocolate may also produce their bars in one country and then have them packaged in another.

There are some ingredients that are absolutely crucial to create all chocolate bars including cocoa paste, cocoa butter and sugar. Some of the optional ingredients are lecithin and vanilla. White chocolate contains more of the cocoa butter. Have fun and experiment with different brands and varieties to find the one you prefer the most.

Chocolate Bars - Delicious Bite

Chocolate bars are usually in the form of a bar or rod, and is covered in attractive wrappers. These wrappers make them attractive for children and adults alike, and in addition they have an exquisite taste enjoyed by many. Bars are available in various sizes and most manufacturers have been clever to include a snack size, which makes it an easy and convenient snack to eat on the run.

The basic constituents of most bars are cocoa solid and milk, sugar and milk. By varying the composition of these in the mixture, manufacturers are able to get the various colors which chocolates are found. In the manufacturing process the chocolate is hardened by using emulsifiers. Different additives are used for taste, such as vanilla for example. These include dark, milk or white chocolate. Chocolate bars are not always solid, but are also found filled with a variety of fillings which are too many to name all. Some of these include fruit, nuts, caramel, toffee, etc.

Some manufacturers also make chocolates which have a specific nutritional value. Often these include proteins, vitamins and nuts. Many of these are marketed as energy bars. Great care is taken however, that even these special chocolates still retain their sweet taste that many people love.

There are many companies which make bars. Once again there are too many to mention, so we will all mention some of the more commonly known brands. One of the biggest known brands is Nestle, and is one of the brands found throughout many areas on the world. It also shares this honor with the Mars brand. Hershey is found predominantly in the USA, while Cadbury is found mostly in South Africa, the UK, New Zealand and Australia. Although we have specified countries and regions, some brands are exported beyond the areas where they are manufactured.

If you have the experience and the will power, you can make your own chocolate bars with the filling of your choice. There are many recipes which are easily available and fairly easy to make.

There are few interesting ways of serving chocolate. One the most popular ways is probably with ice cream. An unusual way of serving chocolate bars is by deep frying them in vegetable or peanut oil. In this serving the chocolate is served slightly hot with a warm sauce or whipped cream.

Use Dark Chocolate Bars and Milk Chocolate Bars to Sweeten Your Playoff Party

January means one thing for National Football League fans - the playoffs. However, it also means entertaining friends and family while watching the big games. One way to make a big impression that does not take much effort is by using dark chocolate bars or milk chocolate bars to add a flourish to your day. Use them to provide you and your guests with a special treat.

Dark chocolate bars have such a rich, powerful flavor that just a square or two can serve as a decadent treat for you and your guests. In addition, adding just a few chocolate shavings to an entree as a garnish can add a depth of flavor that is both unexpected, and easy to achieve. If you are looking for something a bit out of the ordinary, there are dark chocolate bars that combine herbs and spices from around the world. For example, a bar that combines cinnamon, chipotle, and cayenne peppers with dark chocolate can be a powerful assault on your taste buds.

On the other hand, milk chocolate bars can be used to give your party a sweet, smooth finish. Milk chocolate can be melded with other flavors to make a fantastic dessert drink. One pairing that goes well together is milk chocolate and chai spice. You can create a fantastic twist on sipping chocolate by adding a touch of chai. It adds a little bit of exotic flavor that fits in perfectly in the winter months.

Dark chocolate and milk chocolate can be a great addition to your game day meals or snacks. They can provide an accent to your entree, or become the base for an exceptional sipping chocolate. While you are rooting for your favorite team this month, use gourmet chocolate to make your weekends even more memorable.