What is the File Extension .pcb?

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If you are new to the circuit board creation scene then you have probably noticed that there are computer files popping up that have an extension of .pcb. So what exactly is this new file extension code and what programs put it on the end of their files? Here is a look at the .pcb file extension, why it is used and what programs use it.

The .pcb file extension is a file extension that is used specifically for programs that run printed circuit board software tools. These programs are usually the program that you use to design a circuit board or to test the flow of the energy once the circuit board has been created. As with all file extensions the .pcb allows the computer to separate the printed circuit board file from any of the other files.

Files that do contain an extension of .pcb can be found in a variety of different types of files. The .pcb file can be either a data file, as is the case when the written data of a circuit board is created, a 3D graphics file, CAD-CAM-CAE file, document file or even a database file. It really depends on the program that you used to create the .pcb file and what you were creating at the time.

Programs that create the .pcb file extensions are print circuit board creation software programs as well as Microsoft Powerpoint and Print Shop. While Powerpoint and Paint Shop will create .pcb files the typical program that creates this type is a printed circuit board creation software program.

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What Are Your Customers Thinking?

Have you ever wondered what your customers think when they visit your site? If you don’t, you should. Without satisfied customers, your business has little chance of growing or even surviving. One of the best ways to find out this important information is to simply ask, and online survey tools are available to make asking the right questions quick and easy.

Gain Insight Into Your Customer’s Experience

By using online survey tools, you can keep your finger on the pulse of your customer’s current needs and desires. It will give you a good indication of customer satisfaction. Armed with this information, you can make changes or create targeted promotions that will increase customer demand. It will also give you insight into why certain things are happening, what your customers like or dislike, and whether your customer service group is doing their job. In some cases, you can make simple tweaks to your site that cost very little to increase the likelihood that a visitor to your site will actually place an order.

Using Survey Tools

When using survey tools, always respect your customer’s time. A good survey will only ask one or two very targeted questions and provide a simple way for the customer to close the window without answering. Without this, you run the risk of angering your customer and losing their business completely. In most cases, the survey will automatically pop-up when a user lands on your site. There are two approaches. With the first, you can ask them to answer questions right away. The second approach asks if they would like to take a survey before they leave the site. Including a special offer for a completed survey will usually result in a higher level of participation.

By taking the time to consider your customer’s thoughts and needs, you can increase your orders and grow your business. When will you create your next online survey?

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Examples of Electronic Design Automation Software Programs

3D View using KiCAD PCBnew (Wings 3D based).

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When creating any type of product that has a circuit board in it you will want to make sure that all the circuits will do exactly as they are supposed to. While many people will just create a circuit board and hope for the best, others will use a computer software program known as an electronic design automation program. Electronic design automation programs allow the creator of the product to map out what the circuit board looks like and do a test run of it on the software to see if all the components of the circuit board will do as they are supposed to.

If you are considering creating a product that involves a circuit board here is a look at some of the electronic design automation software programs that might be available for you to use.

Free PCB. Free PCB is a downloadable program that is available for those that use a Windows PC. It is a very simple electronic design automation software program that allows those that are creating their own electronics to test out the circuit boards and see if everything will work together.

EAGLE Layout Editor. The EAGLE Layout Editor is an advanced electronic design automation program that allows any computer user with an access to the Internet the ability to do a number of things with their circuit board. They can design a complete layout, do an automatic test run and even troubleshoot any problems that might arise with the circuit board that is designed.

gEDA. The gEDA electronic design automation program is a software tool that is available for those that use a unix imitation software program. It features a layout editor that allows users to design a layout of a circuit board and it also has a trace optimizer that will show designers the best layout for their circuit board.

Kicad. Kicad is the most advanced electronic design automation program that is available for computer users. It has several different types of software programs that are used together to show the optimization of the circuit board that is being designed.

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A Look at Electronic Design Automation

There are a lot of technological terms that many computer users have never heard of even though the term is vital to their computer usage. The term electronic design automation is one of them. If you are unfamiliar with electronic design automation then here is a brief overview of what electronic design automation is and what it is used for.

Electronic design automation is the technical term for a group of computer software that is used primarily to design and coordinate important parts of the computer system. These parts include the circuit boards and integrated circuits.

The average computer user has probably never heard of electronic design automation because it is primarily used by those that create system chips. The software will display an enlarged picture of the chip and show the designer exactly where the flow of circuits goes when it comes to how the chips and computer circuit boards are designed.

Before the development of electronic design automation software the computer designers would have to draft out all system flows on a piece of paper. This was a long lengthy process. It wasn’t until around 1981 that computer companies started taking the computer chip designing process to the computer and the electronic design automation software programs were born. The development of computer software programs that allow designers to visually see what is going on in the circuit boards allows the development of the computer chips to come quicker than when it was drafted by hand.

At the moment there are several major companies when it comes to creating the software that is used for electronic design automation. These companies include Synopsys, Cadence, Mentor Graphic, Magma Design Automation and Zuken. These companies create the initial software programs that are used by computer designers and builders. Almost all the major computer companies from Hewlett Packard to Dell use one or more of these companies’ programs to develop their circuit boards.

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The First Word Processors

The concept of word processing includes the idea of creating computer generated text then being able to manipulate it by editing that text, storing it and then retrieving it later and when ready to do so, print it as a document. The first company to successfully create a word processing software program that met with commercial success was Micropro International back in 1979. Their program was called “WordStar” and became the best selling software program of the early 1980′s.

The earliest form of word processing was actually the programmers who used line editors – nothing more than a software-writing aid where programmers would work-out changes to programming codes. This first use of the line editor being used as a word processor started with Michael Shrayer, an Altair programmer, who realized he could write up the manuals for their computer programs they had created by using the same computers that ran the programs themselves. This led to his creating the first word processor called the Electric Pencil back in 1976.  Several other successful word processing programs emerged around this time, including: WordPerfect, Apple Write I, Scripsit and Samna III.

Seymour Rubenstein left IMSAI in 1978 deciding to start his own company, MicroPro International, with no more than $8,500. A software programmer from IMSAI named Rob Barnaby joined with him and wrote the first version of WordStar in 1979. It was originally scripted to work on CP/M. Barnaby’s assistant, Jim Fox, re-wrote the software so that it would work on a new operating system called MS/PC DOS. (This new operating system was introduced in 1981 by Bill Gates of MicroSoft)

In 1982 MicroPro International released version 3.0 of WordStar. This latest version of WordStar for the new DOS operating system quickly became the world’s more popular word processing program on the market. Then, in an incredible turn of fortunes, by the end of the 1980′s programs like WordPerfect surpassed WordStar in performance and completely knocked it out of the marketplace.

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The Making of a Microchip

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The invention of the integrated circuit – also known as microchip – heralded the beginning of the new computer-age. Without it all the tiny sophisticated internal circuitry of the integrated circuit there would be no home computers, cell phones and many of the devices in cars, homes, aircraft, etc., that we all enjoy today.

The integrated circuit is actually a set of transistors and resistors, (a series of interconnected electronic components) creatively etched onto a minute chip made of semiconducting materials like germanium or silicon.

A computer industry pioneer by the name of Robert Noyce is the individual credited as one of the co-inventors of the integrated circuit, or microchip.  Along with Jack Kilby they designed and created the first integrated circuit.

In order to make a microchip they began by using several layers placed across a wafer of semiconductor material – silicon in this case. The process of layering and building the circuitry in this fashion is called photolithography and was accomplished by using particular chemicals in conjunction with gases and light.

To begin with a layer of silicon dioxide was placed across the surface of the silicon wafer. This they covered with a layer of  “photoresist,” a chemical that is extremely sensitive to light.

By exposing the photoresist layer to ultraviolet light filtered through a carefully designed pattern, only the areas exposed to the ultraviolet light became hardened. The remaining soft areas were then etched using a gas. By repeating and modifying this process they were able to create the extremely small components of the circuitry across the surface of the silicon wafer.

By overlaying the chip with thin layers of aluminum they added conducting paths that passed between the components. Then the etching and photolithography processes were employed again to clean away the remaining aluminum leaving only the conducting pathways across the chip’s surface. Through this process the first integrated circuits were created and led to the revolution in computers and small electronics that continues today.

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Net Neutrality Possibly At Risk

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Net Neutrality Possibly At Risk

Turn on your PC, click your browser, type in your destination, and boom there you are.

Unobstructed internet access enables ordinary people to connect quickly and directly to their chosen websites, view online video programs, listen to music and use voice over IP devices and mediums like Skype to talk to others all around the world. The current internet environment also provides an even playing field for small start up companies to compete in the global marketplace, attract customers and grow their businesses.

What we take for granted, however, is being challenged. The Federal Communications Commission is stepping in to regulate how the internet operates. And giant telecommunication companies are pushing for a legal regulatory structure for the internet.

What are the implications? Should the government decide what’s appropriate for its citizens to see and do online? Will internet service providers act as gatekeepers, limiting access or charging extra fees for certain premium sites and activities, or provide faster connections for their preferred sites? Will there be fast lanes and slow lanes? Will regulations be different for plugged-in devices than for mobile devices?

On December 21, 2010, the FCC approved net neutrality rules to prevent providers from blocking or slowing down the delivery of competitive content or charging more for faster connections to certain sites. Sounds good, right?

The FCC chairman has said there currently are no policies about internet freedom and a framework is needed to create rules of the road.

However, net neutrality advocates say the language in the new rules isn’t clear enough, allowing too much room for interpretation. Politicians against the rules plan to overthrow them, saying the government has no right to meddle with online business practices and questioning whether the FCC has the authority to enforce the new rules.

Savetheinternet.com is a nonpartisan coalition of people and organizations committed to educating others and standing up for a free and open internet. Visit savetheinternet.com for loads of up-to-date information.

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Web Design Professionals Need New Skills as Technology and Communication Evolves

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Careers in web design were once ubiquitous. There was high demand for people who knew how to create an attractive and professional website for a company or non-profit organization. However, most companies are moving beyond the web design professional. They want to hire someone who can not only update and maintain a website, but who can manage the company’s entire digital presence.

A company’s digital presence is multi-faceted. The website is the core component, and it’s the element over which the company has the most control. So, it’s not surprising that companies still need to hire someone who knows all about web design. Websites need to include a variety of features that will draw in visitors. This might include videos, podcasts, RSS feeds, and word clouds. However, companies also want someone who is savvy about social media and search engine optimization (SEO). Using good SEO common sense will allow companies to bring in even more traffic to their website by integrating search terms into the content of their site.

Being a part of the social media world is increasingly important as consumers want and essentially demand an interactive experience with companies. Companies need someone who knows how to navigate and finesse the social media landscape. You can control your message on Twitter and Facebook to an extent. But embracing customers who share honest feedback is a hallmark of social media. Companies need to give a timely response to public complaints on their Facebook page or Twitter accounts. By doing this, companies can actually win points with customers. Having a digital manager who understands this and can promote a culture that embraces social media throughout the company is essential.

Good web designers will pick up the new skills that are necessary to compete in a job market that’s changing to keep up with new technology. It’s really about knowing how people communicate and making it possible for a company to be a part of that dialogue.

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Homebound Individuals Can Access the World Through the Internet

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The Internet has opened up the world to people who are homebound. There are people of all ages who find it very difficult to leave home on a regular basis. They may have compromised immune systems, problems with mobility, chronic fatigue, or other health problems that prevent them from getting out. However, computers have given them an important outside link. With access to the Internet, they can experience some of the things that most people take for granted.  They can watch movies with open source media players and download and share the latest music files with software from ares.

Many people who are limited in their ability to get of the house are keenly aware of the things they’re missing out on doing. For example, they can’t get on a plane and fly to Europe. They can’t go snorkeling in the warm ocean water. They may not even be able to go grocery shopping. However, the Internet has allowed them to experience all of these things from the comfort of their home. There are video tours of places in Europe, underwater photos of colorful reefs, and it’s possible to purchase groceries with a few clicks of the mouse. Not only can you buy groceries online, you can purchase some of the most exquisite foods and products from around the world over the Internet.

Recreation and entertainment options are available through the computer. Like to gamble but can’t get to a casino? It’s possible to play almost any casino game imaginable online. You can choose whether you want to play with real money or virtual chips, a choice you wouldn’t have in an actual casino.  You can even enjoy new and older movies by downloading or streaming them and watching them with players like aresgalaxy.

For people who miss being out with friends, the Internet can give back a little of that social engagement. Chat rooms, Yahoo groups, and interactive online games create opportunities to get to know people who share your interests. While there’s no substitute for being able to experience things firsthand, the Internet provides more opportunities to individuals who are homebound.

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You Don’t Have to Be a Web Design Guru to Change Blog Templates

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If you have a blog, you’ll want to use the best web design possible. However, you may not know HTML code or any other aspects of web design. So, it’s wise to find a pre-made template that reinforces the theme of your blog.

Pre-made blog templates are available for free and for purchase. The most popular blog hosting sites, including Blogger and WordPress, offer free templates. You’re likely to find a variety of styles and colors from which to choose. However, your selection is limited. Chances are good that you may not find exactly what you want. So, in these cases, you can search the web for free templates and look for templates that are for sale. It’s easy to find websites that sell templates for specific kinds of blogs. For example, there’s no shortage of cutesy templates available for women and moms. You can even find web designers who will create a custom template for your blog, incorporating your family or business name and photographs. Short of learning how to create templates yourself, this option gives you the most control over how your blog will look. As you might have guessed, custom templates are the most expensive choice.

Many people enjoy changing their blog template with the seasons. You may want a red and green background in December or a heart-infused template around Valentine’s Day. You can find seasonal templates that will bring a festive feel to your blog.

To change the template on your blog, you’ll need to dabble in HTML, though you certainly don’t have to be a web design expert. Most sites that provide free or pay-for-use templates offer simple instructions for inserting the template. It usually involves locating the place in the blog’s HTML code where you’ll put the template code, copying the template code and pasting it into the place you identified. You can usually preview your new template before you take it live on your blog.

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