If you already know what JPEGs and PDFs are then skip to the "Why should you convert JPEG images into PDF documents" section to learn about some of the benefits and advantages of converting your JPEG photographs into PDF documents.
What is a JPEG?
JPEG (pronounced "jay-peg") is a royalty free image format that was created by a committee known as the Joint Photographics Expert Group. It was designed to compress photographic images so that they take up much less space.
However, the JPEG format is a "lossy" one. This means that when a JPEG image is decompressed it is not quite the same as the original image. But don�t worry as this is not a big issue because it is possible to set the quality level that should be used for an image.
At a high quality level the human eye will not be able to distinguish the differences and you will still get a very useful space saving with about a 10:1 compression ratio � ie an image will be compressed to one tenth of their original size.
At medium quality levels you will be able to spot slight differences (known as "compression artifacts") but these should not normally detract from the image and you will get a compression ratio of around 20:1.
Of course lower quality levels are available that allow a compression ratio of 100:1 to be achieved but the resultant images will look very "blocky".
JPEG is probably the most popular image format in use thanks to its high image quality and low space requirements. It is widely used on the Internet and as the storage format for photographs taken with most digital cameras.
What is a PDF?
PDF is a royalty free general purpose Portable Document Format created by Adobe Systems. It is ideal for storing and displaying fixed layout documents in a device and resolution independent way.
What this means is that a PDF document will be displayed in the same way no matter what device it is viewed on � whether it is on a PC with a large screen or on a small personal organizer.
It is also important to note that a PDF document can be printed to any printer and the printed output should look exactly the same (or at least as close as possible subject to any limitations that the printer might have).
Because of the benefits outlined above, PDF is widely used on the Internet and is extensively used within the print industry where printing accuracy is a must.
Why should you convert JPEG images into PDF documents?
While JPEG images are easy to use there are some limitations with them that make PDF documents a more attractive way of distributing images.
First of all if you want to display and print a JPEG image then what you see on screen is not necessarily what you get printed! This is because the screen resolution is likely to be very different to the printer resolution and the application that is used to display the image on screen cannot always take this into account.
However, using a PDF document that contains the same image, not only is the image displayed at the correct size on screen but you get a perfect printed copy.
If you want to store or distribute a number of images together then it makes more sense to put them into a single PDF file. Especially if you want to send them via email (you only have to include one file attachment and the recipient can open the PDF document and scroll through all of the images straight away) or display them on a web site (you only need to link to one file not lots of them).
With a PDF document you can also restrict what can be done with it � you may only want authorised users to be able to view the document in which case you can password protect it. Or you can prevent a user from editing or printing the document if you only want them to be able to view it on screen.
You can of course do much more with a PDF document, for example, you could create a simple PDF photo album of your images with a built-in slideshow using some fancy page transitions between each image.
How can you convert JPEG images into PDF documents?
While you could use the fully featured and relatively expensive Adobe Acrobat application to convert JPEG images into PDF documents, this can be both time consuming to learn and overly complex if all you want to do is to convert some JPEG images.
There are some free applications available, such as Open Office, but these do not generally allow you the same level of control or automation as dedicated third party tools.
A better solution could be to use a dedicated tool such as one of the "Image to PDF" range of products from Utility Warrior.
There are some other advantages to using a tool that is dedicated to the job of just converting JPEG images into PDF documents � it will probably be cheaper for a start!
Also, these tools will often be much smaller in size as there is no unnecessary code bloat, and this can also mean that they are faster in operation � which can be very important if you have thousands of JPEG images to convert!
Hopefully this brief article will have given you enough grounding to evaluate the solutions that are available to convert your JPEG images into PDF documents to best find one that matches your needs. Happy converting!
- Adrian N -
JPEG Photographs Into PDF Documents
Fundamentals of ASP.Net programming vs. PHP programming
Hyper-text-pre-processor (PHP) and Active-server-pages (ASP) are the two standard programming languages for website application development and more significantly when it comes to produce database-driven websites to interrelating hugely with databases. PHP is an open-source programming language which is derived from lots of different languages. On the other hand ASP is such kind of programming languages which preferring Microsoft product mostly.
Both programming languages PHP and ASP are used to develop dynamic database oriented websites. Active Server Pages (ASP) is normally from Microsoft and is used only with Internet Information Server (IIS) that runs on Microsoft Servers also. But on the other hand you can say PHP is platform independent programming languages and can connect with several kinds of databases.
There are a lot of differences between ASP and PHP.
Expenditure
To run ASP.net programs first need to install IIS on a Windows server platform, this is not a free package. PHP programs can run on Linux, which is free package. Even the database connectivity is expensive for ASP, because it require MS-SQL product of Microsoft that needs to be acquired. Same time on the other hand PHP generally uses MySQL for database connectivity, which is freely accessible.
The Simplicity in Coding
PHP codes itself are very light in weight, a contract programmer who begins his career into PHP, does not felt any pressure to look the source code to understand. Whereas In ASP codes are not so easy to quick understand.
Database Compatibility
PHP generally being extremely flexible as it uses MySQL for database connectivity, which is freely accessible. Same time on the other hand Database compatibility is expensive for ASP, because it require MS-SQL product of Microsoft that needs to be acquired.
General Run Time
If we evaluate the running speed of PHP and ASP then PHP should gets the upper hand. Normally it is viewed that PHP code runs quicker than ASP code. Due to COM based architecture, ASP uses server space to run while PHP code runs on its own inbuilt memory space.
Background Language Support
ASP has a similar like Visual Basic
type of syntax that also linked to Microsoft products as well. On the other hand PHP codes are based on generally C++ language and the syntax, which is used in PHP, is quite similar to C/C++ syntax. C/C++ is still considered by maximum software programmer is the finest programming language and people who love C++ language would certainly feel more relaxed with the PHP syntax.
Running Platform Connectivity
PHP codes can run on different platforms like UNIX, Solaris, Linux, and Windows whereas ASP codes are mostly linked with Windows platforms. Though, ASP programs can run on a Linux platform with the help of ASP-Apache installed on the server.
Further Tools Cost
Several tools used in PHP are mostly free of cost in the market and as PHP is open source a lot of codes can be available in open source forums and blogs. PHP has inbuilt attributes like ftp, encryption methods, even email also from a web page but in ASP such attributes are not obtainable and for this reason only some more features are required which are not free that increase the total cost as well.
Larger Applications Support
PHP is just as protected as ASP from coding level. The main difference is only for private data like �social security numbers�; �PIN numbers� etc. ASP is more practicable option. Organizations like government firms normally don�t have much stipulated commercial budgets and looking for required security, they really helpful ASP.net.
Is Internet Phone Service (VoIP) Worth the Switch?
You've seen the advertisements. You probably know at least one person who has tried it, but is Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP), a.k.a. Internet phone or digital phone, for you? Let's face it. Your traditional phone service works pretty well, so why switch? The answer is savings.
Let's start with the basic monthly plan. The average monthly residential Internet phone plan is approximately $25/month. Business plans are roughly double the residential rate. Usually included within this price are loads of free features like voice mail, call waiting, three way calling, caller id, and call forwarding. Traditional phone service ranges from approximately $15/month to $60/month depending upon add-ons, long distance, taxes, and surcharges. Internet phone service may be for you if you are on the higher end of this scale. Moreover, many cable companies offer Internet phone service as part of a bundled package- Internet, television, and home phone service on one bill. This combination may prove to be very cost effective.
International calls are extremely cheap with Internet phone. Rates can start from around $.02/min., depending upon the destination country. Also, some calls may even be free. For example, if you subscribe to XYZ Internet phone service, and you call a friend overseas who also subscribes to XYZ, the call should be free. You can even take your Internet phone service with you when you travel. If you have a wi-fi Internet phone, you should have service wherever there is a wi-fi hotspot worldwide. Or if you take your hardware with you (i.e. telephone adapter, router, IP phone), you should be able to use your service wherever there is a broadband Internet connection available. Thus, frequent travelers or people with overseas relatives and friends would greatly benefit from Internet phone service.
Business owners stand to benefit the most from switching to Internet phone service. High long distance volume, systems integration, phone number mobility, and local market presence are the main reasons why. First, businesses have inherently high call volumes, especially domestic and international long distance. VoIP should lower these expenses, lowering monthly overhead. Second, VoIP is highly flexible and meshes well with other business applications. Third, businesses spend thousands of dollars annually on advertising, and those dollars are wasted if a phone number has to be changed. VoIP allows a business to keep the same number regardless of location. Closely related is the issue of local market presence. With VoIP, businesses can have a local phone number but be located in a different city, state, or country. The cost to you is just a local phone call. Despite the many benefits of VoIP for businesses, there is one major concern - security. Since voice conversations travel via the Internet, VoIP systems are susceptible to the same perils as your computer (i.e. hackers, viruses, etc.). Small to medium sized business are less of a target than larger businesses. However, all businesses utilizing VoIP should have up-to-date security software and contingency plans in place to minimize the threat.
Despite the many benefits of VoIP, there are a few issues that require consideration. These issues include: voice quality, power outages, emergency services, alarm systems, fax capabilities, digital video recorder (DVR) devices, local number portability (LNP), and broadband Internet requirement. For you, these issues may be just a intermittent irritation, like a dropped phone call or poor signal reception during a cell phone call. For others, these concerns could be insignificant or a deciding factor.
With Internet phone service, voice quality depends heavily upon the quality of your high speed Internet connection. So if your connection is not fast enough, voice quality may be inconsistent. It's always best to test your broadband connection with a VoIP speed test before subscribing.
Presently, unless an alternate back-up power source is readily available, Internet phone service will not work during a power outage because vital pieces of equipment such as routers, analog telephone adapters, and modems require power. Aware of the problem, some companies supply equipment with built-in battery back-ups. Other companies will route calls to an alternate phone number during an outage. Or, you could purchase an Uninterruptable Power Source (UPS) to provide power during an outage. The amount of power supplied by UPS's will vary by model and price. Barring the aforementioned, be ready to use a cell phone during a power outage, or consider keeping a bare minimum landline as a back-up.
In 2005 VoIP companies that interconnected with the public telephone network were required by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to provide 911 service and disclose service limitations. When you dial 911, calls are routed through a Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP). E911 (Enhanced 911), which is utilized in many areas, allows the PSAP to automatically discern your location. Due to the dynamic nature of VoIP, your location is more difficult to determine. Many companies have bypassed this obstacle by sending the PSAP the address of the subscriber. However, all PSAP's are not set-up to receive VoIP data. In which case, you would have to provide your location to the call center. As more and more people use Internet phone service, upgrades are being made to provide E911.
Presently, most alarm systems use a landline for monitoring purposes. Your alarm system may work with VoIP, although some equipment adjustments and testing may be required. Since VoIP data travels at higher speeds, these adjustments involve the lowering of these speeds. Similarly, faxes may be sent over a standard VoIP line, with equipment adjustments needed in many cases. To mitigate this problem, many companies offer designated fax lines as an add-on or as part of a business service plan. Additionally, many digital video recorder (DVR) devices require landlines to receive updates. However, some subscribers have reported successful DVR operation with VoIP. For a seamless transition, if you already have a DVR, you may want to check to see if it has a broadband port before subscribing to VoIP service.
When subscribing to Internet phone service, many people prefer to keep the same phone number, and in most cases this is possible through local number portability. LNP is the process by which consumers can transfer their phone numbers when changing telecommunications carriers. This process can take from approximately 10 to 20 business days until completion.
Finally, VoIP requires a high speed broadband Internet connection. For those of you who already use broadband Internet, this is not an issue. However, millions of people still use dial-up or have no Internet access at all. Therefore, this segment of the population must evaluate the cost of upgrading to broadband Internet versus the benefits of Internet phone service.
Is VoIP worth the switch? Individual answers will vary. Using the aforementioned considerations, a side-by-side comparison between your traditional phone service and your potential VoIP provider should prove to be informative at the very least. Savings is the key. If your potential savings outweigh all other factors, by all means, internet phone service should be worth the switch.
- Christopher S -
XCACLS, SUNINACL, And Other Permissions Security Recovery Tools
XCACLS And Other Permissions Security Recovery Tools
You Have 50GB Of Data To Move Along With Permissions Security
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This article is about several tools that can save a Windows administrators you know what in the event of a large scale permissions security problem.
Here is a fictional scenario we can use to illustrate the use of the XCACLS tool. We need to move or copy 50GB worth of data that is comprised of several thousand directories containing hundreds of thousands of small files from one storage system to another. These systems happen to part of a Windows 2000 Domain and permissions are quite granular in definition. We start the replication of that data using a favorite replication or synchronization tool and walk away for the evening. When we return the next day, everything has copied and all looks well. That is until you try to access the data.
The Data Is Copied, But I Cannot Access It: Permissions Security Problem
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What you did not know, until just now, is that the root directory of the drive that you copied the data to had the wrong permissions assigned to it. In addition, inheritance was configured such that any data that is placed on the drive is over written with the permissions of the root directory. In this case, it was an old account that no longer existed. Believe it or not, that can happen, and system administrators will know what I am talking about. Now you are left with trying to figure out what to do. Do I format the new drive, change the permissions and inheritance on the root directory so they are correct and start all over again? Do I make the changes on the root drive so they have the correct permissions and wait hours upon hours for the permissions to propagate? No, there is another, very fast way of resolving this issue with XCACLS or another tool called SUBINACL.
XCALCS Quickly Resets Permissions On Directories And Files
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Becasue I have limited space in this article, I am going to use XCACLS as the tool to correct this problem. However, in complex permissions structures, you will most likely want to use SUBINACL to fix the issue. I will talk about SUBINACL briefly at the end of the article.
XCACLS as a very fast tool that can set, remove, add, and change permissions on files and directories. For intance, the following command replaces all existing access rights and accounts with that of "dmiller" on the file "file.txt" with read-only access: "xcalcs file.txt /Y /T /G domain\dmiller:r". Although that is pretty easy and helpful, what about changing all my directories and files, which I have thousands of, to allow the domain\dmiller account to have full access? To do this in a very fast fashion you could execute the following from the root directory of the drive: "for /d %g IN (*.*) DO xcacls "%g" /Y /T /G domain\dmiller:f". This will go through every directory, subdirectory, and file and replace the current permissions with dmiller having full access to the object. You'll notice I put "" around the %g in the example. This is not required, but if you have directories that have names with spaces in them you will need to have the "".
What Other Ways Can I Use XCACLS To Change Security Permissions
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To give you a few additional handy examples of how you can use this tool take a look at the follow command prompt methods for replacing, updating and removing accounts and permissions from large numbers of directories and files.
The following command replaces all existing access rights an accounts with that of dmiller with read only access rights:
for /d %g IN (*.*) DO xcacls "%g" /Y /T /G domain\dmiller:r
The following command does not replace existing account permissions, instead, it adds the account, in the example the local admin account, with read only permissions:
for /d %g IN (*.*) DO xcacls "%g" /Y /E /T /G administrator:r
The following command removes the account "administrator" permissions from all directories, files, and subdirectories: for /d %g IN (*.*) DO xcacls "%g" /Y /E /T /R administrator
This command should update all the directories and their contents to allow Domain Admins full access:
for /d %g IN (*.*) DO xcacls "%g" /Y /T /G "Domain Admins:f"
I did a test on my XP Pro workstation and was able to change the permissions on approximately 10000 directories and files in less 1 minute. On one of my servers I was able to achieve a 500% increase in speed. It is blazingly fast.
SUBINACL Is More Complex But Man Can It Really Save The Day
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I cannot go into specifics about this tool in this article but I will tell you what it can do. And again, it does it very very fast. Using the same scenario as above, let's say that you had to fix the permissions on thousands of home directories. With SUBINACL, you can actually go to the original directories and files, use the tool to create what is called a "play file", a text file that contains the right account and permissions from the source files, then use that same file to tell SUBINACL to fix the permissions on the target storage system, the one with the screwed up permissions. It's quite the life saver if you ever find yourself in the type of predicament.
Also check out "CACLS". This command is inherent to Windows XP Professional.
Conclusion
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These tools are contained in the Windows 2000 and 2003 server resource tool kit, however several of them also exist native to the Windows XP environment. Check them out if you don't already know about them. Even if you have no use for them right now it may save you hours of hard work and stress in the event of a future permissions problem.
You may reprint or publish this article free of charge as long as the bylines are included.
Original URL (The Web version of the article)
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http://www.defendingthenet.com/NewsLetters/XCACLS-SUBINACL-AndOtherPermissionSecurityRecoveryTools.htm
