Windows Command Prompt

Windows Command Prompt

Windows command prompt is the powerful tool for people who like to access and manage their system in the most efficient and effective way at the same time it shows you are far away from the basic windows operating system user. Frequently I like to use systeminfo  in windows 7 and Vista for quickly display the details and properties of the system skipping the long place of going to control panel or right clicking my computer and go to properties ooh its boring. To access the registry and play with “registry” keys I simply have to type regedit command and the registry window will pop up and I can easily perform my operation concerning keys and other stuffs. Sometimes the computer become very slowly and you cannot access some of the programs due to the programs you installed in the computer recently the easiest way to reach “add and remove program” is to type within the black screen of the command prompt appwiz.cpl this will take you directly to the “add or remove” features of the windows operating systems.

The user can also access the task manager quickly by simply typing taskmgr this will display the task manager pop up window and allow you to monitor process and performance of the system. The command prompt also gives you an easy of access help by typing (/?) you will be able to get detailed information of the command and how it works. For example consider the command shutdown

                If you type [shutdown/?] the following details will be displayed

Usage: shutdown [/i | /l | /s | /r | /g | /a | /p | /h | /e] [/f]

    [/m \\computer][/t xxx][/d [p|u:]xx:yy [/c "comment"]]

   Display help. This is the same as typing /?

    /?         Display help. This is the same as not typing any options.

    /i         Display the graphical user interface (GUI).

               This must be the first option.

    /l         Log off. This cannot be used with /m or /d options.

    /s         Shutdown the computer

    /r         Shutdown and restart the computer

    /g         Shutdown and restart the computer. After the system is

                 rebooted, restart any registered applications

                The options allow you to do a lot of things by just one command keyword [shutdown]. The command prompts keywords can be used in network operations such as checking the Information Protocol configuration by simply typing ipconfig and place enter. By typing ipconfig followed by (/?) different options using different parameters will be displaced to allow you to have the ease of access. Other windows command prompt keywords can be found from here.

 By Jumanne Mtambalike 

Why I prefer doing Project than going to field?

Why I prefer doing Project than going to field?

In East Africa most of the colleges and Universities prefers to take students for internship in some companies as part of their knowledge enhancement and developing experience in the industry to me there is nothing wrong with that. The questions that pop up in minds is that do really this field works help them effectively and practically in real life scenarios.

When I was in my first year college I did my first project entitled “Generating day of a week from date using Gregorian calendars” it was like a simple game of coding involving mathematical operations and logical reasoning. From this project is where I developed the interest in programming languages at this time is where I learn C-language in details, it was the time I heard about switch case statements, looping statements and some additional header files like math.h and others. Doing a project effectively is the only way a student can master the subject and not the other way around since when the logic stucks someone has to reason again and again and finding alternatives to solve the problems until he overcome the situation.

Most of the students in Tanzania hate programming since they don’t want to dedicate their time in developing real time applications even simple applications for example “java login system”. Behavior of developing small applications will give you passion on coding and prepares you to work in real word. I remember telling my teacher I want to develop software with user-friendly interface because I use to hate the black screen output of the c-language. She told me take your time and practice Visual Basic and Java. I learned visual basic and Java but still I couldn’t be able to develop applications then she told me to go online and search for project and see what others are doing. I searched and come up with the solution that I need to understand the IDE’s from there I practiced Visual Studio interface by watching Youtube tutorials and practicing developing small applications using the Visual Studio interface at the same time I worked with Netbeans and Eclipse to develop small time Java applications like ‘login systems’ and others. After doing several projects I was the master in the field knowing to debug each and every error popping up, I became creative and start to develop database applications. I was able to link from end and back end of several IDE’s to several databases. I was able to link visual studio to Sun-microsystems oracle, SQL server, MySQL and other databases and do the same thing with Netbeans linking to Derby, JDB, Oracle and MySQL.

            My advice to you today, start practicing developing projects by yourself at home, start developing small time applications as soon as you master those applications give yourself a title and go for the bigger one using a language of your choice, your own IDE and database of your own. You can look for example online and use YouTube to troubleshoot your problems whenever you stuck.

            Finally you have to realize working practically yourself is the only way to master and develop your skills but remember if the chance come and you have to do a field research don’t hesitate to do.

Try To do this task:

Develop system called “Crime management System” using VB.net as the interfacing language connects to MS-Access database the application should be able to:

-         Display prisoner’s details like name, age, cell number, reason of arrest, case number and so on.

-         Display Officer’s Details

-         Advanced login system using small database or conditional statements

-         Alarm system

-         Writing Pad

-         Software Map

-         Update link

-         Help

-         And build executable file with extension .exe so that the system can be distributed to your friends.

Note: You can do the same thing using Java and Netbeans as your IDE and connect to any database you want in case you stuck you can consult me directly through my email or phone number.

By Jumanne Mtambalike

Network simulators and Virtual Machines the default gate way for African Admins

Network simulators and Virtual Machines the default gate way for African Admins

The Networking and system administration industry in Africa is growing up in high speed the fact that the number of computer users is increasing daily and cloud computing is kicking on the content makes inevitable for people to consider system and network administration as the career option.

  A network simulator is a software program that imitates the working of a computer network. In simulators, the computer network is typically modeled with devices, traffic etc. and the performance is analyzed. An example of my favorite simulator was Graphic Network Simulator (GNS3). GNS3 is a graphical network simulator that allows simulation of complex networks. Click here to watch youtube tutorial on GNS3.

The question that remain is how will Africa be able to survive with the speed of the rivals the Middle East and Europe while the resources especially hardware are inadequate and expensive not only to individuals but also to some of the IT companies and training institution.

Few years back when I was learning network administration I faced the same challenges, I wanted to understand how to under the logic behind the network connection but I couldn’t afford to get the switch, server or even the basic requirement the router to practice the knowledge I obtained theoretically from my trainer. This was disturbing knowing that I can’t even get the logic behind several diagrams of switch and routers showing computers connected to them. Then I came to realize the only medicine for poor communities to survive and at least get the knowledge about network administration is through Network simulators and emulators. A network simulator is a piece of software or hardware that predicts the behavior of a network, without an actual network being present. .

GNS3 is a graphical network simulator that allows simulation of complex networks.

To provide complete and accurate simulations, GNS3 is strongly linked with:

Dynamips a Cisco IOS emulator

Dynagen a text-based front end for Dynamips

Qemu  a generic and open source machine emulator and virtualizer

VirtualBox a free and powerful virtualization software

GNS3 is an excellent complementary tool to real labs for network engineers, administrators and people wanting to study for certifications such as Cisco CCNA, CCNP, CCIP and CCIE as well as Juniper JNCIA, JNCIS and JNCIE.

It can also be used to experiment features of Cisco IOS, Juniper JunOS or to check configurations that need to be deployed later on real routers. Thanks to VirtualBox integration, now even system engineers and administrators can take advantage of GNS3 to make labs and study for Redhat (RHCE, RHCT), Microsoft (MSCE, MSCA), Novell (CLP) and many other vendor certifications.

This project is an open source, free program that may be used on multiple operating systems, including Windows, Linux, and MacOS X.

Now three years after studying my Cisco Network administration am doing am studying Window Server 2008 Administration and guess what am using Oracle Virtual Box to integrate my client computers to my virtual Window Server Operating system installed in Virtual Machine. Yes as African students is difficult to attain some knowledge due to the lack of resources but out there number of Open source application are there waiting for you to come and exploit them make the use of the search engine whenever you stack and you fill you need assistance.

What’s wrong with mobile phone companies in Tanzania?

What’s wrong with mobile phone companies in Tanzania?

The core reason of having a mobile phone company in the first place is to connect people and provide means of communication between people by using the cellular network provided by the mobile phone company.

First thing first we realize although the service providers have to make profit out of this but the main aim still is to connect people no matter what ways you attain your profit but people must still be connected all the time and in most efficient way.

There are two things here the profit that the company has to make and the service that the company has to provide which led us to our main topic what’s wrong with mobile phone companies in Tanzania. While other mobile phone companies are fighting to provide good consumer services others are fighting to attain more profit out of their consumers while not even providing proper services.

During the early days of mobile companies the days of Mobitel and the likes  the main focus first was to reach people first in the most efficient way and to ensure proper interactivity between the consumer and the service provider. There is nothing wrong for the company trying to make profit out of their services but the point still stand does they provide proper services with respect to the money we are spending on them. for example if you have to call the person three times before getting a channel to talk to him just because the company is not able to control on air mobile traffic or you cannot recharge your phone account because the server is low it has been overpowered by the number of users.

We like the competition that we are seeing wright now having the mobile phone giants companies such as Vodacom, Tigo, Airtel, Zantel and others competing to win the hearts of consumers but really what we need is good service first  and other things can follow later.

The other thing is that the companies should find a proper way of collecting the money and surviving in the competition instead of charging extra cost for the user when makes phone call to the rival company. If I can talk peacefully when am calling Vodacom to Vodacom expect to have the same conversation with a person from the rival mobile company such as Airtel, Zantel or Tigo. I don’t care how you make your money that’s why you have financial officers let them crack their heads on how to get the money while the consumers enjoy their talk time If it is through advertisement or increasing number of people in your network that is for you to decide but please provide us with proper services.

It reaches a point now one person is having four handheld devices just to be able to call people from other mobile companies why should it be that way? Does it mean that we are not creative enough to think in any other why to reduce the talk time cost when the consumer is calling another company? This is not true why it is possible in other countries but not here. That is the challenge we left to you the mobile phone companies service providers it is enough of this suffering. The knowledge on how to overcome this situation can be studied in other developing countries such as India in which to some extent they have been able to overcome.

Is Africa prepared for controlling online fraud and cybercrimes?

Is Africa prepared for controlling online fraud and cybercrimes? 1:40 PM greentech360 No comments One of the hot issues in the world of interconnected networks today is cyber-security the term cyber means to be connected; cyber security simply means the security which is provided when you are connected to the internet or local Area Network. On the other hand the cybercrimes are all illegal activities occurring on the internet including phishing, denial of service, spam, online fraud and hacking .Due to the advancement of Technology and increasing of online activities such as e-banking and e-commerce makes the understanding of these terms and the knowledge in general to be inevitable. The situation of cyber crimes in Asia and America is critical due to the speed of advancement of technology. The online crimes reported in a year as increased tremendously in the recent years. Cyber criminals becoming even more creative and using sophisticated tools to cause the damage. The online fraud activity has been common in most of the companies and banks. To counter the situation most of the company and banks have been very concerned with the issue of security in their networks and new tough measures have been set for those who will be caught participating in these illegal activities. When we look in Africa in recent years there has been tremendously increase in online activities and almost each and everything has been done using internet and computers which makes us more vulnerable to the attacks by the cyber criminals. For example the Introduction of mobile money transactions such as Vodacom M-Pesa in Tanzania and others in other countries it is a proof that Africa is ready to do online transactions and e- commerce but the questions still remains are we prepared to fight with cyber criminals, do we have enough professionals to deal with the situation are we even prepared? The consequences of getting into the world of online transactions and e- commerce unprepared with online criminals are extremely bad. Banks have gone bankruptcy due to this, as the industry grows in Africa people become even smarter. The smarter people they become the more vulnerable you become for attacks. When I was in India I heard a lot of stories about people stealing money from Tanzanian banks using Visa cards but I never even saw the reports on media about these bad activities meaning that even the people who were responsible to protect the bank from these online illegal activities were not aware on what is happening at that time. This is the small example of what will happen if you engage yourself into something which you are not prepared. Due to the recent incidents in Rwanda,Rwandan police officer says“These days, there are criminals that hoodwink people through the internet. They are deceived that they will get huge profits, and many have lost money through these schemes,” Bizimungu said.“My advice is that whenever you see someone promising excess profit, it is important for one to ask yourself whether you are not being targeted by fraudsters. We should all be very careful.” Bizimungu added that a forensic laboratory project is in the pipeline to deal with such cases. He added that since cyber crime has no borders, Interpol is helping in fighting it. The thing is we have a long way to go to be secure Jeremy C. one of the reading CISCO security professional believes “there is no network which is one hundred percent protected” but we should at least be able to understand the vulnerability and be ready to spend money to put people who are familiar with the situation and how to deal with it. Nigeria is one of the leading countries in terms of production of spam letters which are used for online scamming and stealing. The questions is what are the steps taken by the Nigerian government to counter the situation does they even know that it exist, what is the penalty for someone caught doing these illegal activities is it even punishable by law those are the questions African government and authorities should look for answers before getting into the cyber world unprepared. One more thing we should treat the situation seriously and computer pioneers should invest in studying and learning about cyber security and networks protection since it is the career that’s Africa needs to be protected from the dangerous cyber world.