Doremisoft Mac Flip Converter

Mac flip converter is powerful and can easily convert Flip video and Flip HD video to other videos like avi, 3gp,3g2,mpeg1,mpeg2,mpeg4,mpg, flv, swf, wmv, dv, mov, m4v, mkv, HD video etc with different file sizes for Mac OS X, including Snow Leopard. All the flip camcorders is supported by Flip converter Mac, including Flip Ultra, Flip Ultra HD, Flip Mino, and Flip Mino HD. With Flip converter for mac, you can extract audio from Flip video and save them as mp3, aac, ac3,wav, etc.

Flip converter Mac has the ability to optimize the Flip video for common multimedia devices like ipod(ipod touch, ipod classic, ipod nano), iPhone, Apple TV, PSP, Zune, Blackberry, Gphone,iRiver, Palm,Mobile Phone. And with Flip converter for mac, you are able to export video formats that iMovie, Final Cut Pro, Final Cut Express, iDVD, Quicktime, iTunes can recognize without any difficulties to edit, playback and manage Flip videos.

Flip converter for Mac offers series of powerful editing functions to customize your Flip video, like clip a video clips to get your wanted segment(supports multiple clipping), define cropping parameters to get rid of unwanted areas, adjust video brightness, contrast, saturation, set output parameters, merge several files into one. Mac Flip converter enables you to capture still pictures from Flip video.

By Author: LouisQiang

If you are wondering how to upgrade laptop video card and if it’s possible even, then this article can offer you some help in that matter. Read to know about laptop video card upgrades.

Laptops are preferred today, as against desktop computers, due to the portability and ease of use that they offer. Laptop technology has been made possible due to miniaturization of every part that exists in a desktop computer, while taking care of heat and ventilation problems. This miniaturization also comes with certain disadvantages. One of them is that, laptop components upgrade is considerably more difficult than upgrades in our old desktop computers. In this article, I talk about how to upgrade laptop video card on your own.

Before we go ahead and talk about how to upgrade laptop video card, a disclaimer is necessary. Opening a laptop and fixing stuff in it or replacing components is quite risky. The miniaturization makes its inside structure to be much more complicated. If you perform the video card up-gradation on your own, firstly, the manufacturer’s warranty becomes void and there is a risk of permanently damaging the laptop. That is why, don’t attempt the up-gradation of your laptop video card, unless you are completely confident about pulling it off. You need some basic knowledge of what the insides of a laptop look like and what goes where. If you are not careful, forget upgrading the video card, you will have to upgrade the entire laptop by buying a new one!

Need to Upgrade Laptop Video Card
The video card, other than the RAM, is one of the most upgraded components of a laptop computer. The reason is that most laptops have a graphic card that is not especially designed for 3d gaming applications. Most installed video cards are good enough, when it comes to watching movies or playing not-so-graphic – intensive games. However, if you plan to play 3D games on your laptop, then up-gradation to a more powerful video card is inevitable.

Is it Possible to Upgrade Laptop Video Card?
It is perfectly reasonable to to have the doubt whether is it possible to upgrade laptop video cards. Many people keep asking on tech forums, can you upgrade laptop video cards. The answer is yes and no. Laptop graphic cards can be upgraded but not all laptops have this facility. The miniaturization comes at a price and imposes restrictions as these parts are soldered inside. Moreover, if your laptop has a facility to upgrade video cards, the new ones have to come through the manufacturer as they decide the compatibility issues. So if you have suddenly had the realization that your laptop graphics needs are not satisfied, then call up the laptop manufacturer’s service center and ask whether your model has a facility for up-gradation. If it has, you can order the appropriate graphic card from them.

Laptop Video Card Upgrade – Steps
As I said before, laptop video card upgrade is considerably complicated and a more delicate job than desktop computer up-gradation. Still I will provide the a basic outline of the procedure for replacing video cards in any type of laptop.

Make sure that you have the right video card and you have confirmed with the manufacturer about up-gradation issues. Switch off the laptop and be ready with screw drivers. First thing to do is remove the hing covers. You need to go about the whole job delicately and remember what goes where as you need to put it back again. Most laptops have a plastic hinge cover which need to be pried open and removed from the laptop chassis.

Next part is removing the keyboard by removing the screws under the hinge cover, that holds it in place. Lift it off by unplugging and keep it aside. After that you have to remove the display assembly. That means the removal of the entire screen apparatus, along with cables connected to video and wifi antenna. Then the optical drive must be removed by depression of a latch situated at the laptop bottom. Remove the optical drive by sliding it out sideways. Then you must remove shell on the upper side, removing screws at laptop bottom.

Then finally you can have access to the video card of the laptop, which must be removed by unscrewing screws. Next, you replace it with the new video card and proceed in reverse to put all the components and covers back in place again! That is, go back and retrace all the steps in reverse exactly.

So this was my take on why and how to upgrade laptop video cards. If you have a Dell laptop or a high end gaming one, the chances are higher that up-gradation is indeed possible. Make sure that you confirm with the manufacturer about laptop up-gradation, as otherwise, the only option is to buy a new gaming laptop which has the desired kind of video card.

By: Gray Pilgrim

There are five main Internet browsers for accessing the Internet. These browsers are Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, Opera, and Apple Safari. All of them have one primary purpose, which is to enable users to surf the web, so what’s the difference between them?
Which Web Browser Is The Best? The Differences In The 5 Major Web Browsers

The five most popular Internet browsers have numerous things in common. All five offer: no cost, start-up time less than five seconds, tabbed browsing, integrated search engine, smart toolbar, frequently visited web pages list, RSS feeds, automatic updates, password manager, find on page, pop-up blocker, anti-spyware, anti-virus, anti-phishing, clear history, on-line help, tutorials, user manuals, FAQs, user forum, and supports Windows XP and Vista.

The differences between the browsers are very few, but considering your needs should help you decide which one to use.
INTERNET EXPLORER
Internet Explorer offers a thumbnail preview where you can view a closed tab without opening it. It allows users to save a set of tabs to be opened when surfing is resumed. You can also customize your browser. IE offers the ability to synchronize information from the web between browsers, mobile devices, or documents. Parental controls allow parents to control their children’s Internet activities. IE also offers telephone and email support.
MOZILLA FIREFOX
Firefox offers saved tabs, customization, parental controls, and spell-check. Firefox is different from the others in that it offers Open Source Development, which means it was built and maintained by a network of users. Volunteers are encouraged to make the software better. This browser offers a Seamless Download Manager, which means there are no pop-ups when downloading. Firefox offers email support and is compatible with MAC, Windows 2000, Windows XP, and Windows Vista.
GOOGLE CHROME
Google Chrome was introduced fall of 2009. It offers thumbnail preview, synchronization, Open Source Development, and Seamless Download Manager. It is only compatible with Windows XP and Windows Vista. This browser offers no parental controls.
OPERA
Opera offers thumbnail preview, saved tabs, customization, synchronization, and spell check. Out of the five browsers, Opera offers extras the other does not. First, they offer Mouse Gestures, which is where the mouse movements represent commands. This is very similar to shortcut keys. Second, they offer Voice Interaction where a user can use a microphone and headphones and speak to the browser or the browser will read to the user. Opera also offers Seamless Download Manager. Opera has email support and is compatible with MAC, Windows 2000, Windows XP, and Windows Vista. This browser offers no parental controls.
APPLE SAFARI
Safari offers save tabs, customization, and spell check, and is compatible with MAC, Windows 2000, Windows XP, and Windows Vista. This browser offers no parental controls.
CONCLUSION
Internet browsers are your gateway to the Internet. In looking for a browser be certain to look for good security. You want a browser which will guard against pop-up windows, viruses, and phishing frauds. Most all browsers offer the same features, but it’s the little differences which will help you decide.

By: Scott Lindsay

With every consumer becoming more feature-oriented, it has now become a challenge for web site owners offer them a complete e-based environment where they can participate, choose their products well and literally do anything that they want. The increasing number of ecommerce web site design specialists in the scene has made it really easy for clients get the web site designs of their choice at just throwaway prices. Until the boom in the segment had its mark, it was really difficult, costly to be more precise to have the web site designed and development solutions done at rats that fall under one’s budget. But things have changed a lot today and full credit goes to the ecommerce software solution providers.

The genesis of an ecommerce site is marked by a smooth online product browsing and buying comfort. Imagine, you want a product and you can buy it online just at fingertips. This imagination is now a reality – courtesy of the ecommerce website builders who develop websites in a completely interactive manner. Also, features like payment integration, prompt customer care support can be availed without any hassles working with a reputed ecommerce site builder.

If you are planning to have your own ecommerce website, but confused how to make a mode forward, then things are not that difficult for you at the present moment. As the ecommerce website development scene is filled with a slew of website developers and all are ready to offer you the best rates, you can easily listen to what your wants and budgets say.

For those new ecommerce business dreamers, an ecommerce website development consultant can do no less than a magic. Such a consultant does have listing of all the city based ecommerce website developers who can easily offer client-based solutions. Ecommerce websites are often developed on a custom based mode. So, while working with your developer, you can clearly tell him/her what you need to incorporate in your site. Just you need to be able to choose your ecommerce developer well and work as per your requirements. Rest will be all yours, and all satisfactory!

By Author: Arun Kumar

Understanding Joomla Extensions:
What is the difference between a Joomla Component, a Module and a Plugin?
This issue can seem rather confusing to a novice Joomla user, but it is really worth understanding this, because each have their specific uses.
A component is often the most complex type of extension. It can be a sophisticated application in its own right, such as an e-commerce store or a social networking system. Typically a component will supply the main content of a Joomla page, will have its own database tables, and can be added as a menu item in the site navigation.

A module is generally a mini-application. It will not generally supply the main content of a page, but instead supplies extra, self-contained output typically in a small area of the Joomla page. It will not normally have its own database tables, but may be linked to a Joomla component, and draw its data from the component tables. Equally, a module may display output drawn from another site entirely, or may display custom code.

Joomla allows a number of module positions to be defined in the template file. These positions will vary according to the template, but typically include the left and right columns, the header and footer, plus a variety of other positions. A module can be assigned to one of these positions through the Joomla module manager, and then will be displayed in that position on some, all or none of those pages, according to choice.

A plugin is often used to modify the output of a Joomla component. It is a piece of code that will normally be executed when specific Joomla events occur: for example, a user logs in, or the content of a Joomla article is rendered. Plugins can be extremely flexible in the way they operate and can be a great way to extend the functionality of existing Joomla applications. There are eight core plugin types, each of which may trigger its own set of Joomla events. These core types are: authentication, content, editors, editors-xtd, search, system, user and xmlrpc.

However it is possible to define custom plugin groups, generating their own custom events, resulting in a very flexible system.
A common usage for a Joomla content plugin is to embed code in the format:-
{myplugin}
This is added to a Joomla article. When the article is rendered the plugin code will be replaced by the output of the plugin.
However this format is not compulsory, and content plugins can take many forms. Components, modules and plugins can all support parameters, allowing the output to be customized. For a component, the parameters are usually specified for the menu item, using the menu manager. For a module, these are set through the module manager. You can normally have more than one instance of a module on the same page, each with its own set of parameters. Plugin parameters can be set through the plugin manager.

By: Web Development

The new Microsoft operating system – Windows 7 is awarded with the word “impressive” by the masses, but it still gets complaints from early adopters on the web. Having spent couples of days in forums and communities full of discussion about Windows 7, I find that Windows 7 can easily slow down due to various issues just as its predecessors, Windows XP or Vista.

Well, there is no rose without a thorn. For enjoying the non-compromised features of Windows 7 and keeping its freshness as long as possible, you can take the following top 9 tips to speed up Windows 7 performance, and save your time, money as well as get full control of your PC!

Tip 1 to speed up Windows 7 performance: Cleanup Hard Disk
Windows temporary files, internet cache, cookies, invalid shortcuts and unused files and programs can take up much room on your hard disks. Even you have just upgraded to Windows 7, those junk files can soon accumulate and eat up hard disk space. So regular disk cleanup should be part of your daily work to keep Windows 7 running fast.

Windows 7, as its predecessors, has a built-in Disk Cleanup program, you can find it in Start>Accessaries>System Tools>Disk Cleanup. But this built-in tool takes quite a long time to scan your hard disk and is able to clean very limited junk files. So a third-party disk cleaner is recommended to use to save your time and perform a more complete disk cleaning job.

Tip 2 to speed up Windows 7 performance: Boost Windows 7 Boot Speed
The more programs run automatically when you start your computer, the slower your PC boot. Often when you install a program, it will ask you whether it should start as soon as you boot up your computer, but some malicious programs simply add themselves to that auto-start folder without your permission.

Open Run, input “msconfig”, then select “Boot”, you will see a list of programs in that auto-start folder. You can manage them there.

Tip 3 to speed up Windows 7 performance: Defrag Hard Disk
Your hard drive can be full of fragmentation with time, which dramatically slows down Windows running. Microsoft OS including Windows 7 provides the built-in Disk Defragmenter tool, which lets you remove empty patches, pack pieces of files together, and thus occupy contiguous storage locations, increase the speed of reading and writing files to/from hard disk.
Frequency: Disk defragmentation should be performed every two or three months, because frequent disk defragmentation can decrease the span of hard disk.

Tip 4 to speed up Windows 7 performance: Scan & Repair Registry
Registry is the central database of Windows which stores the necessary information and settings for software and hardware running smoothly. Even you have uninstalled a program, respective information is saved there. Windows registry can be full of errors that cause the main system crashes, error messages, freezes and slowdown. You will be amazed when you view how many errors exist in your registry.

Microsoft experts never suggest people to manually change their registry, since any improper operation to registry can cause serious damage. Instead of taking that risk, using a third-party safe registry cleaner/optimizer might be better. Here is a free registry cleaner review for your reference.

Tip 5 to speed up Windows 7 performance: Defragment Windows 7 Registry
Just like hard drive needs defrag, registry needs too. Registry defrag is to remove fragmentations and creates a linear registry, which can speed up registry access and program response. Some defrag programs also compact your registry to a smaller size, thus it can take up less memory and make room for other programs running fast. There is a free registry defrag software which can safely defrag registry in two minutes for most Windows systems.

Tip 6 to speed up Windows 7 performance: Uninstall Unused Programs
Uninstalling programs that you seldom use is better than just removing them from your hard drive because simple deletion can cause Windows errors. Some programs have the built-in uninstall app while others don’t. Then you can go to the control panel and uninstall them. For those malicious programs that don’t allow you to uninstall, you can make use of a third-party uninstall manager (known as built in Wondershare Registry Optimizer) to get rid of them.
Note: cleanup registry is necessary after the uninstallation. Detail is given in the following part.

Tip 7 to speed up Windows 7 performance: Update Anti-Spyware Program
Use an antivirus program to protect your computer from the attacks of spyware, virus, trojan and other malware, and regularly update the program. If your spyware removal or anti-virus software offers an automatic update option, then it’s good. If not, you’d better update them manually.

Since there are many types and variations of viruses, spyware that can infect your computer and revise your system settings, regular update to ensure that you have the latest threat signatures and regular scan to secure your computer.

By the way, Wondershare Spyware Removal is now free for six months, that you can get the free registration code as soon as you submit your email address. With this registration code you can update & get technical support without limitation for 6 months, after that you can renew it with 50% off.

Tip 8 to speed up Windows 7 performance: Boost Performance by Adjusting Registry Parameters
This step is to change registry parameters designed to boost Windows 7 system performance, such as automatically end hung applications, optimize internet connection, speed up loading web pages, speed up Windows shutdown, etc.

There are many online tips talking about how to manually revise registry settings for better system performance, but manual revisement fits more for computer expert than for beginners. Beginners has better use a system optimizing utility (known as built in Wondershare Registry Optimizer) to have this done in single 1 mouse click.

Tip 9 to speed up Windows 7 performance: Turn off Part of Win7 Graphics
Windows 7 has been added many eye candy visual effects, which are recourse hog, especially when, what you expect from Windows 7 is more performance. So you can disable some unwanted visual effects of Windows 7 to enjoy the maxim of Windows 7 speed and performance.

To disable unwanted visual effects: Right click on “Computer” and select “Properties” from the context menu, click “Advanced System Settings”, then under “Performance” click “Settings”. Choose the “Custom:” option. Then you can select which effects to keep and which to disable. Actually you are recommended to un-tick all the options, and select only the last four options to apply.

By: ypsilanti

Wanting to buy a laptop, but don’t know what to look for exactly? Read the article to know what to look for in a laptop for college, gamers and graphic designers.

Laptops provide more convenience and give a personal touch to the whole computing experience. Also, significant progress in the information technology sector has helped increase usage and sales of laptop computers over the years. The high convenience laptop provides the main reason for people to choose one over the traditional desktop computer. Since, buying a laptop involves a considerable investment, people are conscious as to what they buy and often seek advice on which computer suits their work the best. What to look for in a laptop for college students, gamers and graphic designers is discussed below.

What to Look for in a Laptop for College?
College studies are not the same anymore. The number of colleges which are successfully including information technology in their teaching methods is on the rise. Lots of colleges these days have professors asking students to type their assignments and certain institutes even offer online classes. Innovative methods adopted by college instructors in teaching students also involves using an electronic information processing system. All this has made it sort of mandatory for college students to look and purchase laptops, before going to college.

While picking a laptop for college, students should ideally start by defining its use. Mostly, college students require laptops for basic purposes, like reading notes, writing papers and a little bit of entertainment, unless they are studying a course which requires them to use certain specific softwares. Students tend to buy high-end expensive laptops (mostly to show-off) which they do not require, and is a wastage of money. Unless necessary for studies, buying an expensive laptop should be avoided, as it can easily be bought when need arises. Certain aspects which need to be looked into before buying a laptop for college are discussed below.

Hard Drive
Music and movies is what takes up most of the space on a student’s hard drive. But buying laptops with a higher hard disk capacity and thereby spending more money is useless, as a portable external hard drive is always a cheaper option. A 160 GB hard drive is a good option, considering it has enough space for storing necessary data and is not very expensive too.

Processor
The laptop processor goes a long way in determining the speed of operations on it. It is better not to compromise on this aspect and go for the most trusted brand in the market. The basic processors are not highly expensive and should be chosen over more advanced and costly ones.

Memory
Apart from the processor, the other crucial determinant of the operating speed on the laptop is the memory. A 1 (One) GB RAM (Random Access Memory) card is advisable against one’s with more capacity, as this should be more than enough to perform all important tasks required by a college student quickly.

Laptop Size
Choosing the right laptop size can be a little tricky. This is because a college student would ideally prefer to have a light weight and slim laptop for convenience in carrying it around in college. But these are precisely the ones, which are more expensive compared to the big ones. Screen size is another point of consideration, though a 14″ or a 15″ screen should be sufficient. Instead of spending more on buying a stylish looking laptop, get something which doesn’t burn a huge hole in the pocket as a stylish looking sleek laptop can easily be bought later on in life.

Operating System
Different laptops in the market come with different operating systems. The various choices available are – Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7, Linux and Macintosh. Check for software compatibility and consult college students on the operating system, which suits best to the course content.

Battery Life
For a college student, this aspect holds most importance. A good laptop battery life is surely an asset, as the laptop can be used for longer durations without charging. Students may not always be able to charge their laptops frequently and ones with longer lasting batteries are therefore preferred.

What to Look for in a Laptop for Gaming?
Tremendous advancement in graphics used for games along with networking innovations which allow multi-player games, has given rise to a new species. The gamers. These gamers are addicts (to say the least), when it comes to playing games and therefore constantly require to be in touch with games they expertise in. If a gamer were to buy a normal laptop like the one for a college student, he would be grossly disappointed. This is because playing games on a normal laptop ain’t the same experience as playing it on a more advanced one. This has led to laptop manufacturing companies producing laptops specifically for gamers. It is advisable to buy these laptops for gaming purposes, as they have all the necessary features inbuilt for an unbelievable and unparalleled gaming experience. Certain aspects which need to be looked into before buying a laptop for gamers are discussed below.

Hard Drive
Games need a lot of space on the hard disk, and this is primarily the reason for a gaming laptop to have a huge hard drive capacity. A 320 GB hard drive should be sufficient, considering there may be other things which need to be stored on the laptop.

Processor
The fastest and the most powerful processor is recommended as games have a host of graphics which need to run. This is why it is better to get the fastest possible laptop processor installed to play high-end games without any problems.

RAM
To keep it simple and devoid of technicalities, more the RAM, the better. A 2 GB RAM should be the minimum for a gaming laptop to perform to it’s potential. Certain games require a higher RAM to run, so it is better to check and confirm.

Additional Cards
For a gaming laptop, there are few additional cards which need to be attached to it’s motherboard for an optimum performance. Sound cards, video cards and graphic cards are tailor made for gaming purposes will always enhance the gaming experience. A few motherboards have inbuilt cards, but these are not adequate enough and hence require additional cards anyhow.

Screen
For a gamer, a large laptop screen is must. A 17″ is recommended, but it is inconvenient to carry around. Playing good games on a smaller screen spoils the fun to a certain extent and therefore it is better to make adjustments in the convenience factor than the size element.

Networking
Gamers want their laptop to be network compatible to enable them play competitive games whenever they wish to. Provisions for LAN cables, network cables, USB attachments and Wi-fi connectivity, along with few other networking options need to be looked at when buying a laptop for gaming purposes.

What to Look for in a Laptop for Graphic Design?
Requirements for a graphic designer are more or less similar to what a gamer will be looking for in a laptop. As a gamer has graphically advanced games to play on the laptop, a graphic designer is the one who creates such superior graphics. A graphic designer has to constantly work with softwares which require high memory and visual features. Creations by the graphic designer are often heavy in size and therefore a large hard disk is recommended. The softwares also take some space. RAM is most important to ensure decent and uninterrupted performance while working on the laptop. Minimum 2 GB RAM is advisable.

The various graphic, sound and video enhancement cards, used by gamers, are necessary to a graphic designer’s work. Screen size needs to be at least 15″, as bigger laptops can be tough to carry around at times. Processor should be the fastest and the best. Apart from this, a good battery life, DVD compatible drive and an operating system supporting all necessary softwares is a must.

This should clear doubts regarding what to look for in a laptop. Remember to buy the one which suits the requirements perfectly. No point in overspending on unnecessary features. A lot of popular brands manufacture products specific to its use. Look for these. A highly competitive market ensures no dearth of options for buyers and therefore a thoughtful choice needs to be made.

By: Suketu Mehta

We all love playing our favorite video games, but do we know the various stages of the video game development process? Read on, to learn more about this highly specialized and extremely expensive product generation cycle.

The video game development process is a long and tedious one, and this is an industry that is ruled by a few heavyweights. Entry into this industry is extremely difficult for a newcomer, as each of the existing companies already have a strong presence in their respective niches. The video game development process ranges from the initial conceptualization of a game, right to analyzing the response of consumers and gamers and offering patches and solutions to various bugs on the game.

Technology has advanced to such path breaking levels in today’s world, and to develop and create a successful video game requires the work of more than 40 people, with each person working on their specialized task. There are a large number of video gaming platforms and consoles today, and as such the expectations of the consumers have really shot up high. Each and every detail of a video game needs weeks and months of work, and this is why video game development process is highly difficult, stressful, and lucrative. The evolution of video games to futuristic levels is exactly what makes this such an elite industry today.

Different Types of Video Game Developers:
As mentioned before, there are a large number of people and departments at work in order to design and develop a successful and intelligent video game. Each person, or team, focuses on their task at hand and nothing else. The entire team is led by a Producer and a Project Manager and it is their job to ensure that all the different teams are working in a coordinated manner. The main teams in the video game development process are the artists, the animators, the programmers, and the designers. Each team member has a specific skill that they bring to the table, and no one else interferes in their work.

Along with these fundamental teams, there are some secondary teams that function as well. These departments are all equally responsible for ensuring that everything is working smoothly and there are no difficulties along the way. For the purpose of carrying out these auxiliary jobs you have the Audio Department, the Engine Department and the Tools Department. The video game development software needs to go through a lot of tweaks and improvements and as such it passes through the hands of all these various, inter-dependent departments.

Read the following about video game designers:
• How to Become a Video Game Designer
• Job Description of a Video Game Designer
• How to Become a Video Game Beta Tester

Video Game Development Process
The various stages into which the video game development process can be divided are basically divided into 4 chronological parts. You have the Concept, the Pre-production, the Production, and the Post-production stages that video game designers mandatory immerse themselves into. Each of these stages have their own teams of experts working on them, and the importance of each of these stages, teams, and departments is absolutely vital.

Concept
Each and every game needs an idea to be realized. This idea is the blueprint for the entire designing team and it can draw inspiration from anywhere. The idea generators can decide what genre the game should belong to, and then act accordingly. The concept chosen by video game designers can be an original idea, a sequel, or a licensed based title. License based titles can be based on books, movies, or some specific people.

Once the concept has been decided and formulated, a concept plan is required to be made and submitted to the decision makers. These are the guys who provide the finances and if they agree, the designing process can begin. For license based titles, the permission of the original creators needs to be gained. The video game development process needs to be efficient right from the conceptualization stage, and all the developers and designers should have the same vision that the designers originally have. Read more about designing video games.

Pre-Production:
Now, a more detailed design document of the potential video game is generated, and this is mostly done by the primary designer. This document specifies the primary aims of the video game, and tries to establish, in cohort with the others, whether the design is actually realistic and achievable or not. If it is not achievable, certain tweaks can be made to the primary design. Once it has been established that the game can be achieved, the programmers come into the picture of the video game development process.

These guys start working on the video game development software and also produce a highly detailed technical report, explaining what kind of technology will be utilized for making the game, and what kind of engine the video game would work on. Then the artists come along and physically create the ideas and concepts that were originally intended. Obviously, this is not done without the supervision of the original creators and designers. The Producer and the Project Manager then combine all these teams and make a scheduled plan about the time each task is expected to be completed in. Video game development jobs require the ability to be able to work under extreme pressure and meet a lot of deadlines, and at the same time produce the best quality of work possible.

Also have a look at the following video game platforms and consoles and games:
• PC Games
• Xbox 360 Games
• PlayStation 2 (PS2)
• PlayStation 3 (PS3)
• Nintendo Wii Games

Production:
This is the most important part of the video game development process, and the one area where the maximum expertise is required, and the most money is spent. All the departments start work simultaneously and everyone works on the job that they have been assigned. You have the tools programmers, the engine programmers, the user interface programmers and the artificial intelligence programmers all working in sync with each other. The animators and the artists are also working on the visualization and movements of characters, objects, animations, backgrounds, texts and interface designs. The video game development software has to include all these things, or else the video game will be a failure. Also read about 3D animation and graphic design.

The Audio department then adds all the necessary sounds and noises that are required in the game. The voice of the characters, the background music, the interface music and other things are what these guys look after. The cost of the video game development process can run very high due to the large number of specialists in the developing team, and the cost of the best equipment and machinery used for the designing process. The Producer and the Project Manager are simultaneously assessing that all the work is on target, and that all deadlines are being met. They are also carrying out detailed risk assessment in the market, and trying to predict how well the game will do.

Post-Production:
Finally, comes the testing stage. Once the game has been developed, testers are required to play the game and highlight any bugs that are there. If any are found, the necessary solutions are incorporated. Learn more about how to become a video game tester. The graphics and the game-play of the video game are then tweaked and polished, and the game is ready to be sent to the manufacturers. Marketing of the video game is a very important part of the video game development process, and this is something that keeps happening all along, during the development process. The video game developers are contracted to not reveal anything about the game though, as this could ruin the response of the consumers. Once the game is released, the video game development process is accomplished.

Also see the following:
• Who Invented Video Games
• History and Timeline of Video Games
This is not the end of the matter though, as some faults in the game will only arise once gamers start using it. If there are any such faults, then necessary patches must be released over the Internet so that everyone is satisfied with the final product. The biggest video game production houses spend a lot of time, energy and money on the video game development process, as it is the attention to details that ultimately makes all the difference.

By: Rahul Thadani

The Teamwork Server is a piece of the software that allows more than one developer to work with the same model. The UML model is stored in the teamwork server repository and every developer working with either the Standard, Professional or Enterprise edition of MagicDraw may lock a part of the model and work on that part individually. Later changes may be committed to the server and shared with the team. The server works much like the source code version control system.

Benefits of the Teamwork Server:
Faster team collaboration. Every developer may instantly obtain the newest version of the model; everybody is allowed to work in parallel on its own part. No need to merge separate XMI files by hand.
Simpler configuration management. All designs are stored in a single place, there are no more files that are scattered around in the network; changes can be introduced orderly and without conflicts.

Controlled access to your artifacts. Different people in the project may have different access levels to the projects stored in the teamwork server repository.

Remote access. No matter where you are, if you are connected to the Internet you may work with the model that is stored in the repository. A project manager may provide read only or full access to the repository for the overseas developers, customers, subcontractors, management, and other interested parties.
No constant connection required. Every user may save their teamwork project locally and work without a constant connection with the Teamwork Server. Locally changed project files can be committed to the Teamwork Server at later date.

Teamwork Server Functions:
The user working with the teamwork server may perform several operations:
Create a brand new teamwork project or make existing XMI model to be a teamwork project.

Get the newest copy of the model from the server (update).
Lock for edit part of the model on the server. When part of the model is locked every other user that is working with the teamwork server has read-only access to this part.

Commit changes to the teamwork server. After the locking and editing the user may commit the changes to the server thus making them visible to the whole team. Unlock operation may be performed after the commit in order to allow other users to edit new information.
Send message to one specific teamwork user or all users that are connected to that server.

For more information please visit http://www.magicdraw.com

By: Magicdraw

The Windows Process Activation Service (WAS) manages the activation and lifetime of the worker processes that contain applications that host Windows Communication Foundation (WCF) services. The WAS process model generalizes the IIS 6.0 process model for the HTTP server by removing the dependency on HTTP. This allows WCF services to use both HTTP and non-HTTP protocols, such as Net.TCP, in a hosting environment that supports message-based activation and offers the ability to host a large number of applications on a given machine. For more information about building a WCF service that runs in the WAS hosting environment, see How to: Host a WCF Service in WAS.

The WAS process model provides several features that enable applications to be hosted in a way that is more robust, more manageable, and that uses resources efficiently:
* Message-based activation of applications and worker process applications start and stop dynamically in response to incoming work items that arrive using HTTP and non-HTTP network protocols.
* Robust application and worker process recycling to maintain the health of running applications.
* Centralized application configuration and management.
* Allows applications to take advantage of the IIS process model without requiring the deployment footprint of a full IIS installation.
For more information about WAS features, see Hosting in Windows Process Activation Service.

Elements of the WAS Addressing Model
Applications have Uniform Resource Identifier (URI) addresses, which are the code units whose lifetime and execution environment are managed by the server. A single WAS server instance can be home to many different applications. Servers organize applications into groups called sites. Within a site, applications are arranged in a hierarchical manner that reflects the structure of the URIs that serve as their external addresses.

Application addresses have two parts: a base URI prefix and an application-specific, relative address (path), which provides the external address for an application when joined together. The base URI prefix is constructed from the site binding and is used for all the applications under the site. Application addresses are then constructed by taking application-specific path fragments and appending them to the base URI prefix to arrive at the full application URI.

By: windows-process