Basics abt Computer Science

AGP

Accelerated Graphics Port is a type of expansion card slot on the mother board that is optimized to work with high performance video cards. They enable better viewing of 3D graphics and full motion video on your display.

BIOS

Basic Input Output System is code used when a PC first starts up. It contains configuration information about all the Input and Output devices in the PC so that the processor chip knows how to connect to and work with them.

BIT

This is binary digit and is the smallest piece of information a computer uses. A bit is always in one of two states, either 0 or 1, except for the tiny instant of time required to switch from one state to the other.

BYTE

A byte is eight bits. The data and instructions (code) that a CPU uses are coded into bytes. For example capital letter 'A' in ASCII (PC) code is byte 0100 0001. A lower case 'a' is byte 0110 0001.

BROWSER

Software on a computer used to request and display web pages from a Server.

CABLE MODEM

A type of modem that provides very high speed access to the Internet over the same cable that your cable TV service uses. Rates are asymmetric. This means that downloads are much faster than uploads. Typical download rates are 2 to 3 Mbps and uploads are in the 500Kbs range. This is blazing speed compared to a 56Kbps dial-up modem.

CACHE

Cache is a small fast SRAM type of memory. It prevents CPU slowdown, which happens when the CPU has to wait on slower devices like RAM memory and the hard drive. There are two levels of cache.

Level 1 or L1 cache is a small fast memory located on the same chip as the CPU. When files are first requested by the CPU they are read into the CPU from the hard drive and written into the L1 cache at the same time. When the CPU needs data again it checks the L1 cache and if it finds it there it gets it instantly. If not, it looks successively in the L2 cache, RAM and finally the hard drive, each of which is a little slower in delivering the data the CPU has requested.

Economic Indicators from 1991

The Indian economy has undergone substantial changes since the introduction of economic reforms in 1991. These reforms were a comprehensive effort consisting of three main components namely, liberalisation, privatisation and globalisation. They included various measures like deregulating the markets and encouraging private participation; trade liberalisation; dismantling the restrictions on domestic and foreign investments; reforming the financial sector and the tax system, etc. All such policy initiatives radically changed the economic set-up of the country and integrated it with the rest of the world. Thus, India was placed in a globally competitive position so as to fully utilise its potentials and opportunities for rapid growth of the economy. 

Net National Product (NNP) at factor cost (at 1993-94 prices) increased from 0.5 per cent in 1991-92 to 6.3 per cent in 1999-2000. It increased to 8.8 percent in 2003-04 at 1999-2000 prices. Similarly, per capita NNP increased from -1.5 per cent to 4.4 percent and then to 7.0 percent during the same period. Gross National Product (GNP) at factor cost (at 1993-94 prices) increased from 1.1 per cent in 1991-92 to 6.2 percent in 1999-2000. It increased to 8.7 percent in 2003-04 at 1999-2000 prices. Gross Domestic Product (GDP) at factor cost ( at 1999-2000 prices) has increased from 4.4 percent in 2000-01 to 7.5 per cent in 2004-05. 

The industrial sector has been going through a process of restructuring and consolidation after liberalisation. The industries have responded to the reforms through mergers and acquisitions, adoption of cost cutting measures, foreign collaboration, technology upgradation and outward orientation in sectors such as cement, steel, aluminium, pharmaceuticals, and automobiles. Industrial growth increased sharply in the first five years after the reforms, but then slowed to an annual rate of 4.5 percent in the next five years. From low growth rate of 2.7 per cent in 2001-02, the industry sector grew at a rate of 7.1 per cent in 2002-03 and further to 9.8 per cent in 2004-05.

There has been steady and continuous rise in supply of money in the economy since initiation of reforms. Reserve Money(Mo) has increased from Rs.99,505 crores in 1991-92 to Rs.573066 crores (Provisional) in 2005-06. Narrow money (M1) has increased from Rs.114406 crores to Rs. 825245 crores (Provisional), while, broad money (M3) has increased from Rs.317049 crores to Rs.2729535 crores (Provisional) during the same period.

Low and volatile growth rates in Indian agriculture and allied sectors was reflected in the average annual growth rate of value added in the sector declining from 4.7 per cent during the Eighth Plan (1992-1997) to 2.1 per cent during the Ninth Plan (1997-2002). From negative growth rate of -7.2 percent in 2002-03, the agriculture sector grew at a rate of 10.0 per cent in 2003-04 and at a rate of 6.0 per cent in 2005-06. 

As a proportion of GDP, the share of exports, which had grown from 5.8 per cent in 1990-91 to 12.2 per cent in 2004-05, grew further to 13.1 per cent in 2005-06. The corresponding rise in imports was from 8.8 per cent in 1990-91 to 17.1 per cent in 2004-05 and further to 19.5 per cent in 2005-06. Thus, trade deficit as a proportion of GDP, which had declined from 3.0 per cent in 1990-91 to 2.1 per cent in 2002-03, widened to 4.9 per cent in 2004-05 and further to 6.4 per cent in 2005-06. 

Performance of the Indian economy on the inflation front, with price stability as one of the prime objectives of the reform process has been satisfactory, particularly after the mid 1990s. The annual average inflation rate based on Wholesale Price Index (WPI) was 10.6 per cent between 1991-96, which fell down to 5.1 per cent in the period 1996-2001 and then to 4.7 per cent in 2001-06. 

There are various economic indicators which highlight the performance of the economy since 1991

Sources: http://business.gov.in/indian_economy/eco_indicators.php

Indian Economy

The Indian economy is the fourth largest economy of the world on the basis of Purchasing Power Parity (PPP). It is one of the most attractive destinations for business and investment opportunities due to huge manpower base, diversified natural resources and strong macro-economic fundamentals. Also, the process of economic reforms initiated since 1991 has been providing an investor-friendly environment through a liberalised policy framework spanning the whole economy. 

The growth and performance of the Indian economy in the world market is explained in terms of statistical information provided by the various economic parameters. For example, Gross National Product (GNP), Gross Domestic product (GDP), Net National Product (NNP), per capita income, Gross Domestic Capital Formation (GDCF), etc. are the various indicators relating to the national income sector of the economy. They provide a wide view of the economy including its productive power for satisfaction of human wants.

In the industrial sector, the Index of Industrial Production (IIP) is a single representative figure to measure the general level of industrial activity in the economy. It measures the absolute level and percentage growth of industrial production. 

The four main monetary aggregates of measures of money supply which reflect the state of the monetary sector are:- (i) M1 (Narrow money)= Currency with the public + demand deposits of the public; (ii) M2= M1 + Post Office Savings deposits; (iii) M3 (Broad money)= M1 + time deposits of the public with banks; and (iv) M4= M3 + Total post office deposits.

Price movement in the country is reflected by the wholesale price index (WPI) and the consumer price index (CPI). WPI is used to measure the change in the average price level of goods traded in the wholesale market. While, the Consumer Price Index (CPI) captures the retail price movement for different sections of consumers. There are at present four consumer price indices covering different socio-economic groups in the economy. These four indices are Consumer Price Index for Industrial Workers (CPI-IW); Consumer Price Index for Agricultural Labourers (CPI-AL); Consumer Price Index for Rural Labourers (CPI -RL) and Consumer Price Index for Urban Non-Manual Employees (CPI-UNME). 

All such economic indicators not only measure/analyse the present performance of an economy but also help in predicting and forecasting its future growth prospects.

Sources: http://business.gov.in/indian_economy/index.php

Internal Revenue Service(IRS) finalises Tax-Exempt Form 990 Instructions

IRS has released its revised instructions for the redesigned Form 990 that tax-exempt organisations must submit. The latest version reflects a greater level of detail reporting than the IRS has been requesting. Form 990 had previously not been major revisions since 1979. The IRS also expects to release instructions for the short form, 990-EZ. As part of the phase-in of the redesigned Form 990-EZ for 2007 will be eligible to file Form 990-EZ or Form 990 for 2008

How to apply for a Work Visa?

 Every year United States allows 65,000 work visas to be issued to various professionals. Finding of a willing sponsor is just the beginning of the long road, which is followed by filing of work visa application with USCIS(United States Citizenship and Immigration Services).

USCIS allows filing of H-1B visa applications six months prior to the commencement of next fiscal year. Fiscal year in united states starts from October 1. For the fiscal year 2009-10, H-1B application can be filed with USCIS on 01 April 2009.

Due to overwhelming response, generally within few days of its opening, quota of 65k is oversubsribed. In a scenario of oversubsrciption, USCIS picks up the successful candidates through computer generated programs on random basis. Application of the unsuccessful candidates are denied and returned along with the application money paid by them. After the selection of successful candidates, approval of application generally takes a few months time. However, if the application is filed by paying an additional fee to USCIS with a 'Premium Processing' request, it can be processed within few weeks from the date it is filed.

In addition, USCIS issues 20,000 H-1B visas also to those who have earned advance degree in US. According to the USCIS  announcement on tuesday, april 8,2008, they received more than 65000 applications in regular cap numbers as well as 20000 U.S. earned advanced degree cap numbers for the fiscal year 2008-09. When the USCIS receives more than 20000 cap numbers for U.S. earned advance degree cap H-1B pletitions. Then those U.S. earned cases, which failed to be selected within the 20000 numbers, are added to the pool of regular cap cases and the agency goes through the random selection process for the 65000 regular cap cases. It is thus obvious that the U.S. earned advance degree cap filers learn their luck or bad luck ahead of the regular cap filers.

RBI warns of assets & liabilites mismatch

Expressing concern over the tendency of some banks to lend too much compared to their sources of funds,, the reserve bank warned that it may start supervisory review of these banks. Indian Banks Association, Chairman said the RBI's caution to banks came as too much credit expansion would nullify the effect of RBI's tigher monetary slance of RBI.

IT industry seeks clarity on taxation

Hit by imposition of service tax, the IT industry has asked the government to come out with a clear classification of packaged software -- explaining if this item should be listed under goods or services, lack of clarity and imposition of service tax on packaged software could lead to increased litigation in the sector, industry expects said