I made a little tutorial that will be a little more useful once we can finally unpack this thing. It is instructions for installing the proper usb driver for the soc (RK2918) that powers this tablet. Also directions for flashing the partition of your choice. Also for you hardware enthusiasts here is a link to download the official data sheet for the soc. It has a ton of interesting info that anyone could enjoy. Shows you what this thing is really capable of if properly modified/unlocked.

Data Sheet

On with the tutorial!

You will need the following:

Drivers (windows only)

RK29 Update Tool

First things first MAKE SURE YOUR TABLET IS TURNED OFF and the USB is UNPLUGGED!!!!!!!!! It is also recommended that you have at least half of your battery life remaining on the device. And of course I am not responsible for any decisions you make whether they lead to bricking your device or pure profit!

DRIVER INSTALL

1) Unzip the archive with the drivers. Don't forget where you unzip to.

2) Press and hold down the "menu" button. While still holding menu, plug the usb cord from the computer into the tablet

3) Your pc will start looking for a driver automatically. It should fail to find any, if given the option, choose manual install.

4) If not given the option, you need to go to control panel > Device Manager

5) You should see an unknown devices in the list, right click on it

6) Choose "Update Driver Software..." and a new window will open.

7) Choose "Browse my computer for driver software" and another window will open

8) Browse to the folder you unzipped the drivers to. Select the appropriate folder for your operating system. EX. C:\PMID700\Drivers\64bit\win7

9) Make sure to check the box next to "Include subfolders"

10) Click the "Next" button and windows should successfully install your driver

RK29 Update Tool

1) Download the tool from link above and extract the .zip file and open it.

2) Double click the "RK29Update.exe". RKAndroidTool v1.29 will run

3) If you installed the driver correctly and still connected to the pc with device power off, the big bold message at the bottom should read "Found RKAndroid Loader Rock Usb." Success! Your device is attached and ready to be updated!

4) The Flash tab is where you want to be. From here you can choose exactly which Partition(s) you would like to update.

*CAUTION**CAUTION**CAUTION**CAUTION**CAUTION**CAUT ION**CAUTION**CAUTION*

IF YOU CLICK THE "ERASEIDB" BUTTON YOU WILL ERASE ALL DATA ON INTERNAL MEMORY. If you do this make sure you have a backup or something to flash, as you will not even be able to turn on your device if you don't. I personally found this out the hard way, luckily I did an rkdump of all device partitions and was able to use the "RK29xxLoader(L).bin" and "parameter" files included in the "RK29_Update_Tool" folder, as I did not have the originals or update.img.

*CAUTION**CAUTION**CAUTION**CAUTION**CAUTION**CAUT ION**CAUTION**CAUTION*

Have fun and be careful

How To Root Nextbook Premium 7 Tablet February 27, 2012 By Suyash 5 Comments Rooting a device isnt that hard as most people say but rooting a device which has just been launch or which is very obscure can be a bit daunting. In our case, its the Nextbook Premium 7 tablet but fortunately, XDA Forum Member Dochoppy has provided us with a root method for the tablet. This tutorial explains how you can swiftly root your Nextbook Premium 7 tablet the easy way. Make sure you follow the steps very prudently. If you find yourself stuck in a conundrum, feel free to comment below. Features

This tablet sports a bright, crystal clear capacitive 7-inch touch-screen and runs Android 2.3 OS. It has built-in WiFi, a speedy 1GHz processor for all your gaming and day-to-day needs, 4GB of built-in flash memory for storage of your media and docs, SD/MMC card slot for up to 32 GB incase you need some extra space, Graviational sensor, Mini 2.0 USB and Flash 10.1. Prerequisites

Before you root any tablet, it is always advisable to take a back up of your tablets data. Backing up your contacts is easy and you can back up all your contacts to your tablets SD Card.

To back up your applications, I recommend you to use ASTRO File Manager which also allows cloud storage.

Make sure your tablets batter has a minimum of 60% charge. Enable USB Debugging. To do this, go to Settings>Applications>Development

and make sure USB Debugging is checked. Disclaimer: BlogoTech is not responsible for any damage that might be caused to your device during this process though the possibility of any damage is negligible. Try this at your own risk. Also note, rooting your tablet will void your warranty.

Read more: http://www.blogotechblog.com/2012/02/how-to-root-nextbook-premium-7-tablet/#ixzz2ofWtoJz3 Under Creative Commons License: Attribution

Steps to Root Nextbook Premium 7 tablet First of all, Download the package from here Extract the contents of the file to any empty folder Connect your tablet to your PC via USB cable. Turn your tablet over and with a safety

pin or something of similar size, press and hold the reset button for 2 to 3 seconds Run the RK29update.exe file present inside the folder you extracted the contents to Select your ROM files via the boxes containing the . and navigate to the correct

directory for the ROM you want to install Insert each file in order according to the update tool Clear IDB After the Tool says OK, Select Run. This will begin to load the ROM onto your

tablet. It will go through loading and then checking the ROM install After the ROM loads and the tool comes back with an OK, patiently wait for the

tablet to reboot. If the tablet is still connected to the PC via USB when the ROM boots it will show the screen allowing you to select whether or not to turn on USB storage. Press the home key and you will be given a choice of Golauncher or Rklauncher. Select whichever you wish

Thats it! Youve successfully rooted your Nextbook Premium 7 tablet.

Read more: http://www.blogotechblog.com/2012/02/how-to-root-nextbook-premium-7-tablet/#ixzz2ofWzY3g7 Under Creative Commons License: Attribution My first customer is damo. He sent me an image and I made him a new boot.img. OK so here are the instructions for flashing with a new boot.img and your customized boot screen that I put together for you! Requirements: 1) You must already be flashed to my new ROM 1.1 period! Otherwise flashing with these instructions will brick your device! 2) Well this is assumed but if you have already flashed my ROM using RKAndroid Tool 1.29 (RK29update.exe) then I do not need to tell you about installing drivers! YES you need the drivers to flash Note: the cool thing about RKAndroid Tool 1.29 (RK29update.exe) is you can flash certain segments of your tablet and not erase anything else! This is how I can make someone a new boot.img and they just get it FAST and FLASH it easy! You will ONLY be flashing boot.img using my ROM kit (RK29update.exe). Since you flashed my ROM already, you already have my ROM kit and thus the RKAndroid Tool 1.29 (RK29update.exe) and drivers installed. If not. walk away from this tutorial! Instructions for flashing a new boot.img that I made for you: WARNING: Regardless of how I say this will not erase anything, I really DO think you should make a backup using Titanium Backup or your backup program of choice just in case. DON'T complain to me if you lost data. But this process should NOT lose any of your data, apps ,etc 1) The new boot.img I post here or PM you with a link to, will be named with your handle here on Arctablet. Since my first customer is damo, his file is called damo_boot.img. Damo get your boot.img here; http://www.helifreakswag.com/damo_boot.img 2) Download your link (like above for damo) and save it to your desktop or to somewhere

on your hard disk(s) that you know where it is. 3) Run RK29update.exe from my ROM kit. 4) It will load. UNCHECK EVERYTHING other than boot.img. Seriously this is important if you do not want to lose your already installed aps and data! Make sure ONLY boot.img is checked! 5) On the boot.img row in the tool, click the box that has three dots in it e.g. 6) You will get a windows search dialog. Navigate to the boot.img you downloaded from me in step 1. In this example damo will be navigating to where he saved damo_boot.img from my link provided. 7) Reboot your Arnova into recovery mode. I have explained how to do this in my ROM kit. You will know if the Arnova is in recovery mode as the RK29update.exe will say at the bottom of the screen "found RKAndroid Loader Rock USB". If you don't have this message, as in my rom flash instructions, you will not be able to flash your boot.img! Now the next step. DO NOT CLICK EraseIDB! If you do all your stuff is gone! 8) Make sure as I said in #4 uncheck everything other than boot.img. ONLY boot.img should be checked in the list to flash! IF YOU LEAVE OTHER STUFF CHECKED. YOU CAN LOOSE DATA OR BRICK! Now just click the RUN button and it will flash a new boot.img to your Arnova. 9) Your Arnova will reboot and ENJOY! Your own custom boot screen! OK damo, let me know how all this goes and give feedback. I think you will find how EASY it was to flash only boot.img and instantly on the next reboot get your own custom boot screen. Again please provide feedback. I will want to delete your boot.img from my server later as I cannot afford the bandwidth downloads from many might cause. Your screen is cool so maybe share it by posting an picture

Difference Between 32 Bit & 64 Bit Architecture By Matthew Smith, eHow Contributor

Share

Print this article

D i f f e r e n c e B e t w e e n 3 2 B i t

Difference Between 32 Bit & 64 Bit

Architecture If you are in the market for a new

computer , you might have noticed that there now seem to be two different versions of Windows, known as 32-bit and 64-bit. In truth, these different versions have existed since XP, but it is only recently that 64-bit operating systems have become popular in laptops and desktops sold to consumers. The differences between 32-bit and 64-bit operating systems have roots in the architecture of computer processors. Have a question? Get an answer from Online Tech Support now!

Read more: http://www.ehow.com/about_6516780_difference-bit-64-bit-architecture.html#ixzz2ofmb2F9x History

Both 32-bit and 64-bit architecture setups have been around for decades, but were mostly used in complicated enterprise

computers like the IBM 7030 Stretch, built in 1961. 32-bit architecture was available to consumers in the 1980s, and the Intel 386 was one example. However, Windows did not become a 32-bit operating system until Windows 95. Windows XP was the first consumer version of Windows to receive a 64-bit edition.

Architecture The term "32-bit," when referring to a processor or operating system architecture,

refers to the maximum size of an integer register a processor can store. A 32-bit architecture can store data which is 32 bits wide, while a 64-bit architecture can store data which is 64 bits wide. 64-bit architecture can simply store more bits than 32-bit architecture.

&&&&&& Sponsored Links

MS - Computer Science Experiential Learning. Corporate Partners. Real Training. Get Info! northeastern.edu/Computer-Science

Maximum RAM The ability to store more bits means that a processor with a 64-bit architecture

can, when paired with a 64-bit operating system, address more memory than a 32-bit architecture. A processor with a 32-bit architecture can only address four

gigabytes of memory. The same goes for a 32-bit operating system, even if you have a 64-bit processor. The maximum memory that can be addressed with a 64-bit architecture is 16 terabytes.

File Size The larger number of bits that can be addressed by a 64-bit processor also

translates into the ability to store files of a larger size. For example, Windows XP 32-bit cannot make use of a hard drive which is larger than 8 terabytes and it cannot make use of a file which is larger than 4 gigabytes. While there are few instances where this is a problem today, some files, such as high-definition videos

, are starting to encroach on the 4-gigabyte file size limit. Compatibility

Programs created only for a 32-bit architecture or operating system won't always work on a 64-bit version, and vice versa. This is because the 32-bit and 64-bit operating systems store data in different ways. Most modern programs offer compatibility for both, but attempting to run a program which was built for a 32-bit version of Windows XP on a modern 64-bit version of Windows 7 may cause the program to crash. Also, device drivers are not compatible between 32-bit and 64-bit versions.

Read more: http://www.ehow.com/about_6516780_difference-bit-64-bit-architecture.html#ixzz2ofmjYDwG

Computer architecture refers to a number of similar ideas within the computer science and technology fields. On a software level, it refers to the assembly language systems that connect the various parts of the computers hardware into a single functioning system. When dealing with hardware, it applies equally to the methods of creating and utilizing hardware and the process of constructing computer components. Each of these definitions describes a similar process the idea of starting with a non-functioning computer system and making it functional , but they all look at the process from a different standpoint.

The software version of computer architecture is likely the most difficult for a non-technical person to understand. A computer system is performing thousands of tasks at any given time that have nothing to do with what the user is doing. These tasks form the basis of the computers systems. It may be moving information from short-term to long-term memory or checking the time against a scheduled task to see if it is time for activation.

All of these computer architecture functions rely on machine code to understand how the different parts of the machine are connected. This code creates a basic blueprint of the computers hardware that higher-functioning programs use to access things like processor time and memory addresses. This machine code blueprint defines the structure of the system from the softwares point of view.

The first hardware version of computer architecture is the form used to create the software blueprint. This form of architecture centers on the way various parts of the machine will send and receive data in order to work together. For example, if a memory module wants information formatted in a specific way, it is important that the processor sends it in that format so the data can be stored. If the various parts of the computer cannot communicate with one another, the system wont work.

The other hardware version of computer architecture focuses on single pieces of hardware. This method requires designers to look at an individual piece and determine how it will function. Nearly every piece of computer hardware contains a complex series of instructions for manipulating data, receiving instructions and issuing commands. All of this takes place within the hardware, requiring a fully-realized language and command system. In essence, each hardware piece operates like a very specialized computer.

Since each of these definitions talks about a different facet of computer architecture, they all end up fitting together nicely. First, a designer looks at the individual pieces of the hardware and determines how they work. Next, the pieces are put together to form a hardware system. Lastly, the machine code is used to connect those systems together in such a way that programs can interact with the hardware.

What Is ARM Architecture?

ARM architecture refers to an instruction set architecture (ISA) that United Kingdom-based semiconductor manufacturer ARM Holdings, plc. develops. The technology is best known for its application on processors, or central processing units (CPUs), with low power consumption, or great energy efficiency. Also, it is designed with the concept of reduced instruction set computing (RISC), which means that it strives to optimize processor performance by simplifying instructions for faster execution. ARM-based CPUs in particular rely on a single-cycle execution.

English computer company Acorn Computers originated the ARM architecture in October 1983 when it started the Acorn RISC Machine project to come up with a more advanced processor for its business-oriented personal computers (PCs). This is mainly because the MOS Technology 6502, an 8-bit processor popular for its comparatively low cost, was too weak to handle certain computer features such as a graphics-based user interface.

The Acorn Archimedes, released in 1987, was the first computer to feature an ARM-based CPU. The second iteration, ARM2, is notable for outperforming the Intel 80286, or iAPX 286. This was a processor from fellow semiconductor company Intel Corp. and used on the IBM Personal Computer AT (IBM PC/AT) from International Business Machines. The success of the ARM-based processors led to the morphing of the company

to Advanced RISC Machines Ltd. in 1990, then ARM Holdings by 1998.

ARM architecture comprises an orthogonal instruction set. Although the term orthogonal is used for something composed of right angles, in computer terminology, it is used to refer to a data objectin this case, an ISAthat functions without affecting others, or is statistically independent. The ARM architecture uses 32 bits, which is the maximum data size that it accommodates. More specifically, each processor using the instruction set has 16 32-bit registers, which are tiny storage units that provide high-speed access to data instead of allowing the CPU to get it from somewhere else at a slower rate.

Ironically, ARM architecture was initially designed for PCs. Instead, the x86 instruction set, which traces its origins to Intels 8086, or iAPX86, dominated the market by the end of the 1990s. Thus, IBM PC-compatible computers, as well as Macintosh computers from Apple, have x86 CPUs from companies such as Intel and Advanced Micro Devices (AMD).

Meanwhile, ARM shifted to smaller electronic devices, which are ideal for the technologys simplified executions and low power consumption. By 2009, more than 90 percent of all mobile phones contained an ARM-based processor. Other devices that use ARM architecture for their CPUs include personal digital assistants (PDAs), portable multimedia players and calculators.

What is the ARM architecture in Laymans Terms Anonymous August 14, 2011 ARM is 32 bit, but it mostly differs from other processors like Intel by the fact that it has such a small instruction set meaning fewer steps the processor has to work through to get form point A to point B for any operation. Usually a smaller instruction set would mean much more limited functionality, but the designers of ARM also designed the way data gets stored and transferred from register to register during calculations in such a way that the processor operates far more efficiently. Fewer instructions equal less power demand which makes it an ideal processor for those applications where there isnt a very large power source. I dont know if any of that is laymen enough I hope it makes a little bit of sense. Its difficult to explain the concept of instructions and registers without recommending a course in microprocessors! Thanks for asking such a great question.

0 votes Zombie August 15, 2011 Thank you Sir(rdube02) the answer is as sweet and precise it could be for a layman like me..:)

0 votes Anonymous August 15, 2011 To put something in laymans terms is basically 64bits would blow some limitations of current 32bits ARM processors such as better ability to run other operating systems under your current system. Most manufacturers of servers and a 64-bit architecture would be much more suitable for this purpose (potentially faster, larger addressable memory space, etc.). Additional forms of multiply instructions with accumulation into a 64-bit result.Load Register instructions can load a 64-bit doubleword, a 32-bit word, a 16-bit halfword, or an 8-bit byte from memory into a register or registers. ARM has several classes of Multiply instruction:Normal 32-bit x 32-bit, bottom 32-bit resultLong 32-bit x 32-bit, 64-bit resultHalfword 16-bit x 16-bit, 32-bit resultWord halfword 32-bit x 16-bit, top 32-bit result Window manager From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search

Layers of the graphical user interface

Typical elements of a window. The window decoration is either drawn by the window manager (X11) or by the client (Weston). The drawing of the content is the task of the client.

Under X11, when the window manager is not running, the window decorations are missing. Under Weston clients can draws their own window decorations A window manager is system software that controls the placement and appearance of windows within a windowing system in a graphical user interface.[1] Most window managers are designed to help provide a desktop environment. They work in conjunction with the underlying graphical system that provides required functionalitysupport for graphics hardware, pointing devices, and a keyboard, and are often written and created using a widget toolkit.[2] Few window managers are designed with a clear distinction between the windowing system and the window manager. Every graphical user interface based on a windows metaphor has some form of window management. In practice, the elements of this functionality vary greatly.[3] Elements usually associated with window managers allow the user to open, close, minimize, maximize, move, resize, and keep track of running windows, including window decorators. Many window managers also come with various utilities and features: e.g. docks, task bars, program launchers, desktop icons, and wallpaper. Contents [hide]

1 X window managers 2 Microsoft Windows 3 Types of window managers

3.1 Compositing window managers 3.2 Stacking window managers 3.3 Tiling window manager 3.4 Dynamic window manager

4 Features and facilities of window managers 5 History 6 See also 7 References

X window managers[edit] Main article: X window manager On systems using the X window system, there is a clear distinction between the window manager and the windowing system. Strictly speaking, an X window manager does not directly interact with video hardware, mice, or keyboards that is the responsibility of the display server. Users of the X Window System have the ability to easily use many different window

managers Metacity, used in GNOME, and KWin, used in KDE Plasma Workspaces, and many others. Since many window managers are modular, people can use others, such as Compiz (a 3D compositing window manager), which replaces the window manager. Sawfish and awesome on the other hand are extensible window managers offering exacting window control. Components of different window managers can even be mixed and matched; for example, the window decorations from KWin can be used with the desktop and dock components of GNOME. X window managers also have the ability to re-parent applications, meaning that, while initially all applications are adopted by the root window (essentially the whole screen), an application started within the root window can be adopted by (i.e., put inside of) another window. Window managers under the X window system adopt applications from the root window and re-parent them to window decorations (for example, adding a title bar). Re-parenting can also be used to add the contents of one window to another. For example, a flash player application can be re-parented to a browser window, and can appear to the user as supposedly being part of that program. Re-parenting window managers can therefore arrange one or more programs into the same window, and can easily combine tiling and stacking in various ways. Further information: Re-parenting window manager Microsoft Windows[edit]

Microsoft Windows has provided an integrated stacking window manager since Windows 2.0; Windows Vista introduced the compositing Desktop Window Manager (dwm.exe) as an optional hardware-accelerated alternative. In Windows, the role of the window manager is tightly coupled with the kernel's graphical subsystems and is largely non-replaceable, although third-party utilities can be used to simulate a Tiling window manager on top of such systems. Windows Explorer (explorer.exe) is used by default in modern Windows systems to provide a panel and file manager, along with many functions of a window manager; aspects of Windows can be modified through the provided configuration utilities, modifying the Windows registry or with 3rd party tools, such as WindowBlinds or Resource Hacker. The Windows window manager can also act as an X window manager through Cygwin/X in multiwindow mode (and, possibly, other X window implementations). Note that Microsoft and X Window System use different terms to describe similar concepts. For example, there is no specific word for window manager functionality in Windows (shell is sometimes used in this context, but its sense is fuzzy). Types of window managers[edit] Window managers are often divided into three or more classes, which describe how windows are drawn and updated. Compositing window managers[edit] Main article: Compositing window manager Compositing window managers let all windows be created and drawn separately and then put together and displayed in various 2D and 3D environments. The most advanced compositing window managers allow for a great deal of variety in interface look and feel,

This section requires expansion. (August 2011)

and for the presence of advanced 2D and 3D visual effects. Stacking window managers[edit] Main article: Stacking window manager All window managers that have overlapping windows and are not compositing window managers are stacking window managers, although it is possible that not all use the same methods. Stacking window managers allow windows to overlap by drawing background windows first, which is referred to as painter's algorithm. Changes sometimes require that all windows be re-stacked or repainted, which usually involves redrawing every window. However, to bring a background window to the front usually only requires that one window be redrawn, since background windows may have bits of other windows painted over them, effectively erasing the areas that are covered. Tiling window manager[edit] Main article: Tiling window manager Tiling window managers paint all windows on-screen by placing them side by side or above and below each other, so that no window ever covers another. Microsoft Windows 1.0 used tiling, and a variety of tiling window managers for X are available. Dynamic window manager[edit] Main article: Dynamic window manager Dynamic window managers can dynamically switch between tiling or floating window layout. A variety of dynamic window managers for X are available. Features and facilities of window managers[edit] Autohide

An autohide facility enables menubars to disappear when the pointer is moved away from the edge of the screen.

Borders A border is a window decoration component provided by some window managers, that appears around the active window. Some window managers may also display a border around background windows.

Context Menu Some window managers provide a context menu that appears when an alternative click event is applied to a desktop component.

Desktop Wallpaper Some window managers provide a desktop wallpaper facility that displays a background picture in the root window.

Focus Stealing Focus stealing is a facility some window managers provide. It allows an application not in focus to suddenly gain focus and steal user input intended for the previously focused application.

Iconification An iconification facility lets users minimize running applications to a desktop icon or taskpanel icon.

Joined Windows Some window managers provide a joined windows facility that lets user join application window frames together.

Keyboard Equivalents Some window managers provide keyboard equivalents that enables the keyboard to replicate mouse functionality.

Menubar A menubar provides the facility to launch programs via a menu and may contain additional facilities including a start button, a taskbar, and a system tray.

Menu Panel A menu panel a component of some window managers that provides the facility to launch programs using a menu. A menu panel is similar to a menubar, but appears as a floating panel, rather than a horizontal or vertical bar. The menu panel may contain additional facilities including a start button, a task panel, and a system tray.

Mouse focus The mouse focus model determines how the pointing device affects the input focus within the window manager. The focus model determine which component of the graphical user interface is currently selected to receive input as the pointer is moved around the screen.

Mouse warping Mouse warping is a facility that centres the pointer on the current application as it is made active.

Multiple Desktops A window manager may provide a multiple desktops facility. This enables switching between several root window desktops. This prevents clutter of the root window, because applications can run on different desktops.

Pager Some window managers provide a pager tool that provides the facility to switch between multiple desktops. The pager may appear as an onscreen window or as a gadget in the taskbar or taskpanel.

Plugins Some window managers have a modular construction that enables plug-in modules to provide features as required.

Rollup A rollup facility enables windows to appear as just a titlebar on the desktop.

Root Menu Some window managers provide a root menu, which appears when the root window or desktop background is touched.

Shortcuts Some window managers provide a shortcut facility that lets users place icons on the root window that access specific programs or facilities.

Tabbed Windows Some window managers provide a tabbed windows facility that groups applications together in common frames.

Task Switching The window manager may provide various task switching facilities that let the user change the currently focused application, including:

Changing the mouse focus using a pointing device Keyboard task switching facilities (for example, by pressing Alt-Tab) Clicking on the task in a taskbar or taskpanel

Taskbar Some window managers provide a taskbar that shows running applications. The taskbar may show all applications that are running including those that have been minimized, and may provide the facility to switch focus between them. The taskbar may be incorporated into a menubar on some window managers.

Task Panel A task panel is similar to a taskbar, but appears as a floating panel, rather than a horizontal or vertical bar.

Start Button A start button is a desktop widget that provides a menu of programs that can be launched. The start button is typically placed on a menubar at the bottom of the screen.

Notification Area A Notification Area is used to display icons for system and program features that have no desktop window. It contains mainly icons to indicate status information and notifications such as arrival of a new mail message. Some systems may also show a clock in the Notification Area.

Title Bars A titlebar is a window decoration component some window managers provide at the top of each window. The titlebar is typically used to display the name of the application, or the name of the open document, and may provide title bar buttons for minimizing, maximizing, closing or rolling up of application windows.

Title Bar Buttons Title bar buttons are included in the titlebar of some window managers, and provide the facility to minimize, maximize, rollup or close application windows. Some window managers may display the titlebar buttons in the taskbar or task panel, rather than in a titlebar.

Virtual Desktop A virtual desktop (also called a scrolling desktop) is a facility some window managers provided that lets the desktop be larger than the actual screen

History[edit] Main article: History of the graphical user interface In the 1970s, the Xerox Alto became the first computer shipped with a working WIMP GUI. It used a stacking window manager that allowed overlapping windows.[4] While it is unclear if Microsoft Windows contains designs copied from Apple's Mac OS, it is clear that neither was the first to produce a GUI using stacking windows. In the early 1980s, the Xerox Star, successor to the Alto, used tiling for most main application windows, and used overlapping only for dialogue boxes, removing most of the need for stacking.[5] GEM 1.1 was a window manager that supported the desktop metaphor, and used stacking, allowing all windows to overlap. It was released in the early 1980s.[6] GEM is famous for having been included as the main GUI used on the Atari ST, which ran Atari TOS, and was also a popular GUI for MS-DOS prior to the widespread use of Microsoft

Windows. As a result of a lawsuit by Apple, GEM was forced to remove the stacking capabilities, making it a tiling window manager.[7] Mac OS was one of the earliest commercially successful examples of a GUI that used a sort of stacking window management via QuickDraw. Currently OS X uses a somewhat more advanced window manager that has supported compositing since Mac OS X 10.0, and was updated in Mac OS X 10.2 to support hardware accelerated compositing via the Quartz Compositor.[8] During the mid-1980s, Amiga OS contained an early example of a compositing window manager called Intuition (one of the low-level libraries of AmigaOS, which was present in Amiga system ROMs), capable of recognizing which windows or portions of them were covered, and which windows were in the foreground and fully visible, so it could draw only parts of the screen that required refresh. Additionally, Intuition supported compositing. Applications could first request a region of memory outside the current display region for use as bitmap. The Amiga windowing system would then use a series of bit blits using the system's hardware blitter to build a composite of these applications' bitmaps, along with buttons and sliders, in display memory, without requiring these applications to redraw any of their bitmaps. Intuition also anticipated the choices of the user by recognizing the position of the pointer floating over other elements of the screen (title bars of windows, their close and resizing gadgets, whole icons), and thus it was capable of granting nearly a zero-wait state experience to the use of the Workbench window manager. Noteworthy to mention is the fact that Workbench was the only window manager that eventually inspired an entire family of descendant and successors: Ambient in MorphOS, Zune/Wanderer in AROS, Workbench NG (New Generation in AmigaOS 4.0 and 4.1. Workbench 4.1 was enhanced by 2D vector interface powered by Cairo libraries, and presenting a modern Porter-Duff 3D based Compositing Engine. In 1988, Presentation Manager became the default shell in OS/2, which, in its first version, only used a command line interface (CLI). IBM and Microsoft designed OS/2 as a successor to DOS and Windows for DOS. After the success of the Windows 3.10, however, Microsoft abandoned the project in favor of Windows. After that, the Microsoft project for a future OS/2 version 3 became Windows NT, and IBM made a complete redesign of the shell of OS/2, substituting the Presentation Manager of OS/2 1.x for the object-oriented Workplace Shell that made its debut in the OS/2 2.0.[9]

Layers of the graphical user interface

Typical elements of a window. The window decoration is either drawn by the window manager (X11) or by the client (Weston). The drawing of the content is the task of the

client.

Under X11, when the window manager is not running, the window decorations are missing. Under Weston clients can draws their own window decorations Question: What exactly is "bittorrent" sharing?

Answer: Bittorrent networking is the most popular form of modern P2P (peer-to-peer) file sharing. Since 2006, bittorrent sharing has been the primary means for users to trade software, music, movies, and digital books online. Torrents are very unpopular with the MPAA, the RIAA, and other copyright authorities, but are much beloved by millions of college and university students around the planet.

Bittorrents (also known as "torrents") work by downloading small bits of files from many different web sources at the same time. Torrent downloading is extremely easy to use, and outside of a few torrent search providers, torrents themselves are free of user fees.

Torrent networking debuted in 2001. A Python-language programmer, Bram Cohen, created the technology with the intent to share it with everyone. And indeed, its popularity has taken off since 2005. The torrent community has now grown to millions of users worldwide in 2009. Because torrents strive to screen out dummy and corrupt files, are mostly free of adware/spyware, and achieve amazing download speeds, torrent popularity is still growing fast. By straight gigabytes of bandwidth used, bittorrent networking is the most popular activity on the Internet today.

How are torrents special? How is the torrent community different from Kazaa and other networks?

Answer: Like the other file-sharing networks (Kazaa, Limewire (now defunct), Gnutella, eDonkey, and Shareaza) Bittorrent's primary purpose is to distribute large media files to private users. Unlike most P2P networks, however, torrents stand out for 5 major reasons:

Torrent networking is NOT a publish-subscribe model like Kazaa; instead, torrents are true Peer-to-Peer networking where the users themselves do the actual file serving.

Torrents enforce 99% quality control by filtering out corrupted and dummy files, ensuring that downloads contain only what they claim to contain. There is still some abuse of the system, but if you use a community torrent searcher like www.isohunt.com, users will warn you when a torrent is a fake or dummy file.

Torrents actively encourage users to share ("seed") their complete files, while simultaneously penalizing users who "leech".

Torrents can achieve download speeds over 1.5 megabits per second. Torrent code is open-source, advertising-free, and adware/spyware-free. This means

that no single person profits from torrent success. Definition of a torrent file Torrent files are files under the umbrella of an extremely popular peer to peer file distribution system called BitTorrent. BitTorrent is commonly used for transferring large files within a large network of people with extremely fast download speeds. BitTorrent technology was originally developed by Bram Cohen, who came up with the protocols needed to share very large files quickly with a large group of people no matter where they were located. Do I need special software to download torrent files? Yes, you do! In order to download torrents, you have to have a torrent client. A torrent client is a simple software program that manages your torrent downloads and uploads. You can find the best torrent clients on the Web by reading this article titled How to Find Torrent Clients. Where can I find torrent files? Here are a few places on the Web where you can find torrent files:

Torrent Sites: There are thousands of BitTorrent sites on the Web, but not all are safe, easy to use, or reputable. Find out where the good BitTorrent sites are.

Find a Torrent Search Engine: BitTorrent search engines are able to scour the Web for torrent files in a wide variety of places, making it simple for you to find what you're looking for.

Official Legal Disclaimer for Torrent Files You need to know that while searching for torrents and P2P sharing technology is legal, that many of the files that you will come across on the Web are actually copyrighted. Copyright law in the United States and other countries (excluding Canada) puts these torrent files and downloading these torrent files at risk for legal action, including lawsuits. Make sure you are familiar with your local copyright laws before downloading any files.

So Simple - Just Like Boiling an Egg Mix Chemicals Into Included Glass Lined Tank, and place on stove top or hot plate. Includes Thermometer The Ideal Way to Plate Small Parts - Easily - Economically - Quickly No Batteries, Rectifiers or Other Power Sources Required Cyanide Free No Fumes Plates Many Metals - All Steels, Irons, Copper, Brass, Bronze, Lead Free Solders, and Nickel Alloys. Even & Uniform Layer, Inside Tubes, Corners etc. No Anode Shadow! No Disposal Problems - Drain Safe After Treatment (included) Mid Phosphorous 5%-9%

- Photos courtesy of 97svtvert. Plated with Caswell Standard Electroless Nickel Kit When electroless plating, you may not plate any item that has a surface area exceeding the maximum load of the bath. The maximum load is 30 sq. in./quart of plating bath. Refer to the table below After making up the initial solution, each kit can be replenished with the included replenisher chemical, to a maximum of 10 times. After 10 times, the bath must be disposed and a fresh bath made. Based on the size of the kit, each kit will plate a certain amount of surface area. Refer to the table below. Replenishment chemicals can be purchased separately. Kit Size

Maximum Load (largest size part)

Approx Total Surface Area Available @ 0.0005"

Mini 75 sq in. 132 sq in. Standard 150 sq in. 264 sq in.

Electroless nickel plating requires no anodes, power supply or electrical connection of any kind. The process simply entails mixing together some solutions, heating them to just off the boil, and then immersing the part to be plated. An auto catalytic electrochemical reaction takes place and the nickel is evenly deposited all over the part being plated. The thickness of the plate will depend on the duration of immersion. To stop the reaction, remove the part from the solution. Like all plating, the brightness of the plate depends on the brightness of the part before plating. The brighter the shine initially, the brighter the shine after plating. Numerous variations of the final finish are achieved by changing the surface preparation.

Electroless nickel plating is not new; it has many applications in industry. Because the system plates evenly over all areas of the part, even down tubes and holes, it is frequently used to plate firearms and small hand tools. For the motorcycle restoration enthusiast, electroless nickel is a great tool for evenly plating the air cooling fins on many engine blocks, particularly older Indians & Harleys.

Electroless nickel plates at an approx. rate of 1 mil (1/1000") per hour. Indoor decorative applications will need approx. 0.25 mil or 15 min. of plating. General outdoor items (hand tools, hand guns) should receive 0.5 mils or 30 min. Items requiring high corrosion resistance should receive 1 mils or 60 min. As the baths are used, nickel depletes from the solution. You will need to replenish this periodically, using our unique method of calculating the nickel loss. Additions to the solution may be made with small quantities of Part A & Part C. This system will NOT plate pot metal. Plate with Flash Copper first. This system will plate aluminum if the metal is primed with Zincate first. Mini Kit (Makes 5 Pints) Contains:

2 x 4 Qt Glass Lined Tank (8" diam x 6" high) Thermometer Mist Control Balls Electroless Nickel Concentrate - part A 8 oz Electroless Nickel /Krome Concentrate - part B 12 oz Electroless Nickel/Krome Concentrate - part C 8 oz END Plate out disposal concentrate 4 oz 2lb SP Degreaser 2 Steel Plate Out Pads The Caswell Plating Manual Free Technical Support

Electroless Nickel Plating Tutorial Introduction

Deluxe

300 sq in. 528 sq in.

Jumbo

600 sq in. 1056 sq in.

Electroless Nickel Plating can be a simple and effective way of applying a nickel plate over steel, iron, copper, brass, zincated aluminum and copper alloys. Electroless Nickel is applied by heating the nickel bath to 195F, and then immersing the part to be plated into the bath for 15-60 minutes, depending on the desired thickness. No rectifiers or DC power are required - an autocatalytic reaction takes place that applies the nickel coating. The tricky part about electroless plating is that you must keep at least 80% of the nickel in the plating solution at all times. Letting the amount of nickel get below 80% will cause the bath to crash, rendering it useless. Commercial platers have full time chemists on hand to monitor and make additions to their large and expensive nickel tanks. On our small scale, this is not possible, so we monitor this using a balance sheet, like a checkbook register. Plating Copper and Copper Alloys Parts made from copper and copper alloys need to be in contact with a piece of steel, in the solution, for approximately 5 minutes so that the autocatalytic reaction will start. Once the reaction starts (part will start to gas), you can remove the steel. Some customers prefer to hang these parts into the solution from a piece of steel wire. Nickel Credits Nickel credits are a term we use to keep track of the nickel level in the tank. Depending on the volume of plating solution, you start out with a number of credits. In our mini kit (5 pint), you have 1800 credits to start.) Credits are used when you plate a part. To calculate credits used, you multiply the surface area in inches by the time you are plating. The time you are plating, determines the plating thickness. 30 minutes of plating time give a coating that is 1/2 mil thick (0.0005") Let's practice a few calculations: Example 1

You have a part that is 5"x5" square, and flat, that you need to plate. That's 25 square inches per side, or 50 square inches total.

You want 0.0005" of nickel plating on the part, requiring a 30 minute plating time. You will use 50 x 30 = 1500 nickel credits

Example 2 You have a cube shaped part that is 3"x3"x3". That's 54 square inches in area. You want 1 mil of thickness, requiring 60 minutes plating time. You will use 54 x 60 = 3240 nickel credits

Ok, so we understand how credits are used, but how are they replenished in the plating system? Replenishment In our Standard Electroless Nickel Kit (10 pint bath), we start out with 3600 nickel credits. This is based on the volume of chemicals in the tank. A kit twice the size would have twice the credits to start. Using Example 1 above, we would use 1500 nickel credits during plating, so 3600-1500 = 2100 nickel credits left after plating. Easy, right? BUT - we MUST remember that at no time can the amount of nickel credits in the bath

get below 80% of their initial level, or the bath will crash. 80% of the original 3600 = 2880 credits. So, if we plated this part for the entire 30 minutes, the bath would have crashed and would be useless. So, how can we plate this part? Simple.....we must add replenisher during the plating.

Using Example 1 above, we know that we will use 2100 nickel credits during the 30 minute plating time.

We know that we must replenish after we use up 80% of the original credits (80% of 3600 = 720)

We know that credits are calculated as time x area. We can work out that if the part is 50 square inches, we will lose 720 credits after 14

minutes. (720/50=14.4) Therefore, we must add replenisher every 14 minutes to bring the bath back up to it's

original level. (To replenish 720 credits, we add 1floz of part A and 2floz of part C)

We will need to do this every 14 minutes, so during a 30 minute plating cycle, you will replenish twice.

Ok, let's try with Example 2: In a Standard Electroless Nickel Kit we start with 3600 credits. Your part is 54 square inches in area. How many credits will you use during the entire plating time of 60 minutes? At what credit level do you need to replenish? After how many minutes should you replenish? How many times?

Answers: 60 mins x 54 sq in = 3240 credits 80% of the beginning 3600 = 720 credits 720 credits, divided by 54 sq inches = 13.3 minutes (13 is ok) 3240 credits used / 720 credits each time = 4.5. If you replenish 4 times, once every

13 minutes, you'll have added 2880 credits out of the 3240 used, so at the end, add half a replensiher to give you back the balance of 360 credits.

Maximum Load Another consideration when electroless plating is Maximum Load. A certain volume of electroless plating solution can only plate a part that is a certain area or less. Parts bigger cause the autocatalytic reaction to fail. In the mini 5 pint kit, the max load is 75 sq inches. If your part is bigger than that, you'll need a larger volume of plating solution to plate it.

Plating Solution Volume Max Load

5 pint 75 sq in 10 pint 150 sq in 20 pint 300 sq in 40 pint 600 sq in

Making Up The Bath Electroless Nickel Kits come with two enamel tanks. One for the electroless plating solution and one for the degreaser. Both are placed on a hotplate, stovetop, BBQ grill etc and heated to 195F (glass thermometer included)

To mix the degreaser, add 1 lb of powder to 2 gallons of distilled water and stir. Adjust these ratios for smaller kits.

To mix the electroless solution, mix the chemicals using the ratio: 1floz Part A, 3floz Part B, 16floz distilled water (Makes 1.25 pints)

ie. for a 5 pint kit (5 pints / 1.25 pints = 4 batches), so 4floz Part A, 12floz Part B and 64floz distilled water

DO NOT ADD Part C or the END solution. Part C is used to replenish. END is used to make the kit drain safe for disposal.

Add the entire bag of plastic balls. These help retain heat in the tank and reduce evaporation.

The Plating Process Ok, so now that we've understood the nickel credits and how to ensure your electroless nickel kit won't be ruined during plating, it's time to plate a real part. The look of your plated part is completely dependant on the look of your part before it's plated. A shiny part will be shiny when plated. A dull part will be dull when plated. This can be useful if you require a matte, or butler nickel. Just scotchbrite or bead blast the part, then plate it. Assuming you want a shiny plated part, the steps are as follows:

Buff and polish the part to a high shine Degrease the part in the SP Degreaser and do a waterbreak test. If the part fails the

test, clean again until it passes. Calculate the number of credits you'll use and mix up your replenisher beforehand, so

it's ready. Check Max Load - is your part too large? Heat the plating solution to 195F. Check the temperature with your thermometer and

adjust your heat source so temp is maintained. Check for copper alloy - hang from a piece of steel if required. Hang the part into the plating bath Replenish if required during the plating cycle.

Conclusion Electroless plating can be highly convenient because of the elimination of a power source, and very useful if you need to plate inside tubes, into heavily recessed areas, or when you have hundreds of small parts to plate (they can be dumped into a basket instead of having to be hung from wires), but a thourough understanding of the replenishment process is required. Because of the "approximate" nature of our replenishment process (both area and times are approximate), the system has a maximum replenishment cycle of ten replenishes. At this stage, the credit level becomes unreliable. Because of this, Caswell Electroless Systems are is not suitable for larger operations where the monetary loss should a bath crash would be considerable. In these situations, industrial suppliers and nickel level

titration calcuations should be sought.