Spark.eCommerce

E-learning is a technology-enhanced learning system that mainly uses internet and computer based technology to reach the end user. This method of learning has become more and more famous in our generation. In the same time it has its own advantage and disadvantage. So now we are going to comparing the pros and cons of the E-learning with the traditional learning.

Pros
Time-Flexibility

Through E-learning, students don’t need move from one class to the another or spend time for the traveling to their respective academic institutions. First of all, they will get their class timetable as the traditional class did. It is so flexible that student are able to sit in the cafeteria and have their meals while being lecture through their laptop or internet accessable device which eventually saves time.

Convinient

Travelling and living accomodations has been a main problem in the traditional setting of learning. Some who are not offered living accomodation wil have to travel a far distance to reach the university. Students of E-learning will not have this kind of problem. They can have their class at anywhere that internet connection is able to reach. So the students don’t need to waste their money to rent a house or paying the petrol for their education.

Accessibility

Students of E-learning can get their source of learning easily through the internet. They may just download from the web page and don’t really need to print it out or photocopy the lecture notes. They may just directly study the soft copy by their computer.

Computer skill

In the same time, students of E-learning can get the new information of technologies and practice the internet and software during their study. the would increase their knowledge and experince on how to a computer. It may be important to them in the future.

Cons

Higher Expense

To support an E-learning process, the students may need a good connection to make sure they can contact and connect with their lecturers and university. So students have to pay a higher fee to get a good connection. Beside this, students of E-learning may also will demand a better computer requirement compare to traditional learning student. So they have to pay more for a better requirement computer.

Poor interaction between teachers and students
Most of the communication between teachers and students is just through internet, but not face-to-face interaction. Sometime the teachers may not know what the students really need. When the teacher can’t understand the needs and reach the demand of the student, the problem of unmotivated will start occur at the students’ side. Let’s say when a student has some problem in study. Through the E-learning he can’t really get a very clear guidance from his teacher. Comparing to the traditional method students, they are always under the care of their teacher and can have more interaction among each others which helps mold their social skills.

In conclusion, E-learning has its pros and cons, i just depends on how effectively we adapt to them.

I had reviewed one of the posts from “Using Touch n Go card to buy fast food in Malaysia will be a reality” in the blog of My E-commerce which talks about the function development of the Touch n Go card in Malaysia.

When we talk about Touch n Go card, the things link to our mind normally are the payment system of toll, KTM or LRT. But recently there are a few more items set into our mind when we are talking about Touch n Go card, that are the use of Touch N Go in food restaurant, convenience stores, hypermarkets and cinemas. According to the article, that’s few outlet had joined the plan such as A&W, Burger King, Dunkin' Donut, 7-eleven, Carrefour hypermarkets, Caltex convenience stores and Cineleisure.

The development of Touch n Go is a leap of the economic Malaysia today. The functions of Touch n Go is covering more and more business area as we can see. With this function, customers don’t need to spend their time to queue up for so long again since this function will make the process of payment become smoother.

If Touch n Go want to develop their function widely to more area in Malaysia, they have to prepare a huge amount of fund to meet the demand of market. They need to set up the card-reading machine to the every outlet that which is under their plan. Beside this, they also have to improve their computer system to make sure the greater amount of transaction is able to process in their system. Lastly they need to develop more convenient way for their customers to reload their Touch n Go card.

http://ecommerze.blogspot.com/2008/04/using-touch-n-go-card-to-buy-fast-food.html
http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/4/12/nation/20902911&sec=nation

Prepaid cash cards are one of the latest innovations by financing companies (Banks). The prepaid card exterior design is quite similar to a credit card, it only differs in function. The card-holder spends money which has been previously deposit by the card-holder or someone else into the card account. In other words, the card holders will be able to make payments for goods and services without the use of actual money as the expenses are deducted straight from the card balance. At the present time, as technology is advancing so fast, more consumers and businesses prefer transacting in methods that involve the less use of actual hard cash as it is faster, safer and everything is automatically accounted for.

Types of Prepaid Cash Cards and their links







The Applications of Prepaid Cash Cards for Consumers:-

It can be use for any purchases of goods and services that provide prepaid facilities. For example payment of utilities, movie and airline tickets, mobile phone and toll expenses , even online shopping .

It is safer for consumers as it saves the trouble of carrying large amounts of money.

Consumers will not have to worry about going into debt as the pre-loaded sum of money is the maximum amount that can be charged to the card.

Transfer and withdrawal of money anywhere around the world depending on the availability of cards service (VISA, MasterCard). Prepaid cards are good alternative to travelers’' cheques. They will probably offer a better rate of exchange as you spend.


There are no credit checks, which means you can get a card without worrying about your credit history.

It isan ideal way to budget and help to manage spending.

References

http://usa.visa.com/personal/cards/prepaid/index.html

http://www.mastercard.com/us/personal/en/aboutourcards/gift_prepaid/ http://www.electronic-payments.co.uk/solutions/Splash_plastic_card

https://www.tunemoney.com/publicPageAction.do?value=page.ppc.public.prepaidcardheader&site=facebook

http://www.touchngo.com.my/

http://www.moneysupermarket.com/cards/prepaid-cards-guide1.asp

Most companies are moving toward doing business via the internet, this is because it is fast, cost-effective and a professional method of concluding business transactions. However the internet is accessible by anyone and online security has been online trader’s main concern in protecting their websites from potential threats, such as malicious attacks by computer viruses, security hacking and information theft.




Malicious attacks are the most frequent form of threat faced by companies and online traders as the common pathway from criminals to users is through the Internet: primarily by e-mail and the World Wide Web. Most computers are now connected to the Internet and to local area networks, facilitating the spread of malicious code.These attacks are usually executed by malicious codes such as worms, Trojan horses, spyware, crimeware, and other malicious and unwanted software.

Worm -.a self-replicating computer program. It uses a network to send copies of itself to spread through a network, rather than just a single computer. Computer infected with worms, would face problems such as computer decelerations and unexpected or frequent system failures.


Prevention methods - Anti-virus and anti-spyware software are helpful, but must be kept up-to-date. The use of a firewall is also recommended.



Trojan horse – unlike computer worms, the trojan horse is to be considered as a virus as it is not a self-replicating computer program spread by email attachments, unsecure software downloads and Websites containing executable content(e.g. A Trojan horse in the form of mp3 file). It requires interaction with a hacker to fulfill their purpose. It is designed to allow a hacker remote access to a target computer system. Once a Trojan horse has been installed on a target computer system it is possible for a hacker to access it remotely and perform operations such as:-

· Deletion of files
· Data Theft (e.g. passwords, security codes, credit card information)
· Modification of files
· Uploading & Downloading of files
· Installation of software (including other malware)

Prevention method - Antivirus software that is designed to detect and delete Trojan horses preferably preventing them from ever being installed again an activation of firewall to prevent hackers.



Spyware – a software that gathers user information through the user’s Internet connection without the user’s knowledge. Users frequently notice unwanted behavior and degradation of system performance, such as applications freezing, failure to boot, and system-wide crashes. Spyware, which interferes with networking software normally, causes difficulty connecting to the Internet. When a large number of pieces of spyware have infected a Windows computer, the only solution may be to back up user data, and fully reinstalling the operating system which is a costly measure.

Prevention methods - any Antivirus software that have anti-spyware features which provide real time protection against the installation of spyware software on your computer and can be used solely for detection and removal of spyware software that has already been installed onto your computer. The Windows Vista comes with a new program called the Windows Defender that protects the user computer from spyware threats.



Crimeware (phishing information theft) - scams carried out using e-mail or instant messaging and often direct users to enter their private and confidential details in a fake website where it looks identical to the original ones. Identity theft is becoming a common fraud; information can be capture as a result of defenseless in computer security. The information is then used to withdraw bank accounts, steal valuable information and identity duplication to transact in illegal transactions.


Prevention Methods – Always investigate and verify the source of the email or website before provide the required information. Employ software firewall and encryption software to protect identity and data from being access. Control the access and usage privileges to the data regardless of where it travels, inside and outside the enterprise and providing audit trails and reports. Liquid Machines Enterprise Rights Management automatically creates and enforces security policy anywhere, at any time, for any data no matter where it resides, the applications it touches or to where it travels.




Referrences
articleid=39456http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_computer_security_hacker_history
http://www.bsagovernment.com/downloads/MajorOnlineThreats.pdf
http://www.tech-faq.com/online-security-threats.shtml
http://www.govexec.com/story_page.cfm?
http://www.guard-privacy-and-online-security.com/

E-Government or also known as online government is a new mode of governing and administrating via the internet. Through the use of information technology, e-government provides and improves government services, public services, transactions and interactions with citizens and reinforces and manages government and public policies.

In Malaysia, e-government was introduced after the launch of Multimedia Super Corridor (MSC) which was introduce to enhance the economic growth of the country and boost companies toward the new era of Information Technology (IT). E-Government is one of the seven prominent service applications introduced in MSC and below it are seven major project:-

Project Monitoring System (PMS) - supervises and executes government projects and also provides a platform for information management and communication services.

Electronic Services (E-Service) – Malaysians can conduct transactions with government for payment of telephone and electricity bills, and also police summons through the internet.



Human Resource Management Information System (HRMIS) - A single interface that governs employees to perform human resource functions effectively and efficiently. It helps to standardize all human resource processes such as recruitment and selection, streamline processes and single window access. It also provides transactional functions such as payroll processing and leave application.

Generic Office Environment (GOE) – A fully integrated and powerful office environment that effectively and resourcefully eases the management documents and information. The (GOE) facilitates communication and collaboration across all workers, and ensures secure and traceable sharing of documents and information.

Electronic Procurement (eP) project – the sale goods and services by suppliers to the Government via Internet as it is more cost-effective and transparent method of doing business.

Electronic Labor Exchange (ELX) - Improve the recruitment of human resource and optimize workforce utilization through an effective center for labor market information where job seekers can match themselves to the job vacancies.

E-Syariah - A system that integrates the processes related to management of cases for Syariah Courts and improves the effectiveness in coordinating and supervising related agencies under its jurisdiction.

As for now, recent surveys about e-government adaptation in Malaysia shows that it has reached a significant frequency of use, but not yet gained a widespread acceptance. Malaysia’s ranking is 25th out of 32 countries in terms of e-government usage growth. This is mainly because of the lack in internet access and technical infrastructure. Most Malaysian still have little knowledge and are not aware of the services offered. Some even fear of transacting via the Internet as online fraud is increasing.


Citizen’s Adoption Strategies
The success in delivering these services depends upon the capability and self-confidence of citizens in performing e-transactions, as well as their trust and confidence in the protection of their personal data within an open and accountable government. In order for the government to achieve this success, they should:-

Increase the awareness of user - the government can develop marketing campaigns such as providing consultation services on how to use those services, TV advertisement, organizing workshops and so on.

Simplify procedure and the navigation – formulate a more user friendly and easy-to-use platform by providing step by step instructions and offline customer service.

Service quality and response to user’s queries – higher quality of service will lead to higher levels of customer satisfaction. This can increase the use of e-government services as their problems are solved efficiently.

Improve and reinforce online security – protecting user’s personal information and ensure it is secure. This can be done by restricting access to certain information and by implementing firewalls in the system.



Referrences
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E-Government
http://www.mscmalaysia.my/
http://www.american.edu/initeb/ym6974a/egovernment.htm#E-Government
http://www.mait.com/admin/enews_images/MAIT%20Country%20Intelligence%20eNews96_37.pdf
http://www.intanbk.intan.my/psimr/articles/Article1%20-%20Full.pdf
http://www.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2007/11/10/nation/19436585&sec=nation
http://www.malaysia.gov.my/

A transactional website is a site that allows their customers to order and purchase goods or services online. The advantage of transactional website is; saves cost, hosting a server is much cheaper compared to renting a shop and maintaining it. The site can be accessed by customers 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Transactional website eases customers; they do not need to be there to purchase a product, the product ordered will be delivered to them. Stocks and databases as well as promotions are easily updated and customers can view them swiftly.

We are going to review on Golden Screen Cinemas (GSC), which claims to be the largest chain of cinemas in Malaysia. GSC is a subsidiary of PBB Group, a Malaysian listed company which has a diversified business in food industries, environmental, engineering, utilities and waste management, property and entertainment. GSC first operated in Kota Kinabalu on July 1981. In June 2009, GSC has own 172 screens in 24 locations where all are located in major cities and towns throughout Malaysia. In addition, GSC enables their customers to make reservation and purchase movie ticket through their site which makes it a transactional e-commerce site.


The main page of GSC breaks the website into several sections, promoting the latest movies and the most anticipated movies. The website is easy to browse; all their links are clear as to where it leads us. Making reservation and purchasing movie ticket in GSC are easy. However, we are required to register and sign up as a member of GSC. It wasn’t hard to register; a click on the “SIGN UP” brings us to the registration site.



After registered and verified, we are able to login to make reservation and e-ticketing. Below “SHOWTIMES & RESERVATION” there are three drop down boxes, first box lets us select the cinema, second box lets us pick the movie and the last box lets us choose the date. Simply selecting the cinema will narrow the list of movies available for the selected cinema in the second box. After selecting the movie, the last box will show only the day and date the movie is available. After all are selected, the “Next” button leads to another site showing the show times. By default, GSC will only make reservation for the customer. By clicking the “E-PAYMENT TICKETING” tab will lead to GSC e-ticketing system. Customer can only select their seats if they choose to purchase the tickets online and not reservation.


For e-payment ticketing, GSC are only able to accept limited number of payment method which are credit card and direct debit by Maybank2U. For a transactional site, GSC should offer a wider range of payment method. Apart from that, everything is pretty straight forward.


In conclusion, GSC website is rather user friendly. All the links are direct and easy to understand. Anyone can browse and make reservation on GSC as long as they have registered as a member. Their only limitation is the number of payment method. Perhaps they should add more payment method such as the M-money or direct debit for other banks as well.

Mobile payment is an alternative method to make payments. Instead of using cash or cards, consumers now can use their mobile phones to pay for their products or services.

Potential

In Malaysia, mobile payment is still very new and lacks exposure. Many people may not even know it exist. However with the growth of Wi-Fi and 3G on mobile phones, there may be potential for mobile payment system to grow.

As technologies in Malaysia grow, mobile phones’ capabilities are also increasing. Traditionally, mobile phones are only used for calling and texting. However in the modern age, mobile phones already have multiple functions such as camera, music player, GPS device, mobile computing and personal organiser.



Shown from the advancement of mobile phones, it is already a major device everyone needs to have. Owners of mobile phones range from kids from primary schools to senior citizens. Just imagine how many people own a mobile phone these days. When there are populations, it is a guarantee that people would use the service of mobile payment if it brings convenience.


One of the pioneers of mobile payment system in Malaysia is Mobile Money International Sdn Bhd. They were established in February 2005. Money Mobile allows anyone to pay to or receive money from anyone, anytime from anywhere securely. Most often Mobile Money is seen to be used in e-commerce websites.


After few years, Maxis introduces M-Money. It is a service using an application which allows consumers to store their money in virtual accounts that is accessible using their mobile phones. Maxis M-Money also allows consumers to remit money using their mobile phones, specifically to Philippines. M-money has been successful in implementing mobile payment system; they are already one of the payment methods when we buy cinema tickets on TGV and when we orders pizza online on Pizza Hut.


Just recently, Maxis launches another mobile payment system, Maxis FastTap in partner with Nokia, Visa, Maybank and Touch ‘n Go. It is an integrated mobile payment service that uses near field communication (NFC) technology. It allows mobiles phones to work as a Touch ‘n Go card and Visa Wave, performing transacting without contact.


Mobile payments are used because they save time. Consumers would not need to take a long queue to make payments, with just an SMS, or a wave on a device to transact payments. Mobile payments also allow consumers to remits money with ease. With just an SMS, consumers can send money in their account to their friends and family in other country. Most importantly, mobile payments can be used anywhere and anytime. Consumers will not need to worry if there is any time restraint for using the service.

Adoption Strategies

Although mobile payment system is made with all the convenience and advantages, there are only a handful of consumers who use this service. Steps to be taken to improve this are:

1. Educating consumers – Consumers must be educated whenever something new hits the market. Telling them that such a convenient system exists, pouring knowledge and information into them. Providers of mobile payment system should advertise their services to create awareness among the public.

2. Enhancing security – In order for mobile payment system to be used, the security of the system must be carefully handled. Nobody would want to use a payment method if they are afraid their money will be stolen. Therefore, enhancing security plays a major role in keeping mobile payment system in the long-run. Provider of these services should do their best in eliminating all security issues that create doubts in consumers.

3. Collaborating with banks and merchants – The more the system is accepted commercially, the more people will be aware of them. Mobile payment system should take effort in collaborating with different banks, allowing consumers to bank-in money to their account with any banks of their choice. Collaborating with merchants plays an important role as it reflects the usefulness of the system. A mobile payment system that could pay just anything will most probably be the first choice of anyone who wants to pay with their mobile.

Please refer to the following links for more information:

http://www.neowave.com.my/mobilemoney_overview.asp
http://www.dailyexpress.com.my/news.cfm?NewsID=49705%20http://mis-asia.com/news/articles/worlds-first-contactless-mobile-payment-system-launches-in-malaysia
http://mis-asia.com/news/articles/worlds-first-contactless-mobile-payment-system-launches-in-malaysia
http://www.finextra.com/fullstory.asp?id=19902

By Bk

A transactional website is a site that allows their customers to order and purchase goods or services online.

Firstly, the reason for transactional website is because; hosting a server is much cheaper compared to renting a shop and maintaining it. The site can be accessed by customers 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Transactional website eases customers; they do not need to be there to purchase a product, the product ordered will be delivered to them. Stocks and databases as well as promotions are easily updated and customers can view them swiftly.


Next, we are going to look at Dell Malaysia as it is a popular transactional website in Malaysia. Dell Malaysia is a well established transactional website in Malaysia. Dell Corporation was founded by Michael Dell as PC’s Limited in year 1984. Dell grew throughout the years and became one of the largest sellers of PCs and servers.

The layout of Dell Malaysia is direct. In their main page, they allow their customers to select their categories of computers they wish to browse. Namely they have home, small and medium businesses and large enterprise. In the middle of the site, they also show their latest promotions products. Below are a list of web links that enables customers to visit other sections of their websites such as support and corporate information of Dell.


The way the products are displayed in Dell Malaysia are very systematic. Dell directs their customers step by step in assisting them in choosing a right computer for them. For example, clicking on “For Home” will brings you into another websites which allows you to select whether to browse laptops or desktops or to view on the latest promotions and hot deals. Clicking desktops will then brings you to another website which will show you the range of computers, mainly entry level, mid-range and hi-end computers where the price starts at the cheapest, slightly more expensive and most expensive respectively. They also provides a rough idea as to what the computer at a certain range is capable of doing, such as internet and email for entry level computer and gaming, video, burning and multi-tasking for hi-end computers.


Other than assisting their customers step by step, Dell Malaysia also gives their customer another range of computers within the level. Expensive ones come with better hardware or a complete set, while cheaper ones probably do not include a monitor or a speaker. Other than that, all Dell computers are given a choice to be customised. In case the customer demands for a better hardware, they have the choice to do so at a lower cost.

When shopping for computer in Dell Malaysia, they not only have a function to add the product to the cart, they also have a function that allows their customers to save the cart and view them in the future. This function is usually not found in most e-commerce websites, it is quite innovative and it is believe to ease their corporate customers who need to buy several computers with different requirements.

In terms of payment method, Dell Malaysia offers a number of methods such as credit card, telegraphic transfer, cheque or bank draft, direct deposit and flexi payment. Compared to most e-commerce websites, Dell Malaysia provides all the major methods to pay online. After paying, Dell Malaysia gives an estimated time period where the products will be delivered to their customers. It is stated that it takes an average of 10-15 working days. This is considered quite fast comparing to some e-commerce sites which actually takes them 2 months!

Other than that, they also allow their customer to monitor their order status. By keying-in their reference number or customer code, Dell allows their customer to check the progress of their order. This system is very handy to anyone who awaits their package to arrive.

This sums up the review on Dell Malaysia website. After years of establishment, Dell has definitely become very strong in their field. The way they display their products are very user friendly. Anyone can just buy a computer without worrying which hardware is good for them and which is not. Dell provides a variety of payment method to cater their customers demand. Their order status works great. However, it is noticeable that there is no Malay language in their website. Perhaps Dell Malaysia should consider implementing Malay and Chinese language onto their site in the future. Overall, Dell Malaysia is definitely one of the top e-commerce transactional sites in Malaysia.

Please refer to the follow link for more information
http://www.dell.com.my/

By Bk

Corporate blogging is published and supported by organization to reach the organization’s goals. Nowadays, corporate bogging is being used as a new marketing communication tool for many companies. There are several companies that really have a successful corporate blogging and produce blogs that are informative and fascinating, such as Dell, Lenovo, and Amazon Web Services.



Corporate blog can be divided into two types; internal blog and external blog. Internal blog is used as a communication tool within an organization. They are usually placed on the company intranet where only employees can view them. It can build and strengthen organization culture and enhances knowledge management among employees in the company. An external blog allow companies to communicate directly with their customers, shareholders, investors across the world, allowing them to leave their comment in the blog. It also strengthens the brand loyalty and customer relationship to sell products and services.


A corporate blog is a representation of the company values, beliefs, philosophy and direction. The companies can show their customers that they care about their customer’s opinions and appreciate communicating with their customers in a more personal and direct manner. Thus, companies are able to receive valuable comments and feedbacks from their customers, giving them a better understanding towards customer’s needs. Through corporate blogging, it eases their customer in finding the latest news and more accurate information about their new products and services. It creates trust and builds strong customer relationship as well as promoting their products at the same time. If the company’s blog has a good comment, it will create a good reputation for the company and it is very favorable to their reputation. Besides that, corporate blogging is cheaper compared to other traditional communication strategies.


However, there are some disadvantages for corporate blogging. Firstly, there is no security on company’s confidential information. Since the blog is published in the web, anybody can have access to it. The company’s managers may not trust their staff as they fear their staffs may give away company’s private information. It is likely for blogs to receive positive comments as well as negative comments. When there is a negative comment, it may influence the company’s image which can lead to bad publicity. Furthermore, if the company did not update their company information consistently, it may affect the reputation of the company as well.


There are several steps to create a corporate blog:
1. Determine if blogging is a good fit for your company.
2. Determine if your company is willing to invest in a blog.
3. Create a strategy.
4. Ensure that everyone is on the same page.
5. Determine the involvement of PR.
6. Select bloggers.
7. Writing posts.
8. Establish a comment policy.
9. Develop a promotion strategic.
10. Establish a measurement program.

Here are some useful links for further information :

http://www.sitepoint.com/blogs/2008/08/08/15-companies-that-really-get-corporate-blogging/ - 15 companies that really get corporate blogging

http://blogging.wikia.com/wiki/Corporate_Blog_List - Corporate blog list

http://www.streetdirectory.com/travel_guide/186126/blogging/corporate_blogging_dos_and_donts.html - Corporate Blogging: Dos and Donts

http://www.problogger.net/archives/2008/10/15/a-guide-to-corporate-blogging/ - A guide to corporate blogging

By Lishi

Nowadays, you can buy whatever you want with just a swipe of the credit card. The introduction of credit cards has certainly made our lives easier when we need to make a payment. While credit cards are very easy to use, it may lead to credit card debt. In fact, one of the major causes of bankruptcies comes from credit card debts. The following are some of the factors that create credit card debts:

Causes of Credit Card Debts :



1. Poor money management

Poor money management is one of the major reasons why many families have accumulated credit card debts. This is because many people do not plan for their monthly expenses and did not record how much they have spent. Without properly keeping their bills and receipts, most people may not be aware of their credit card debts. Thus, leading to a rise in their credit card debts



2. Underemployment

Due to the economic crisis, many people lose their job and are unable to maintain their costs of living. This forces people to use credit cards to support their living expenses and maintain their current lifestyle, thinking it is only temporary. This may lead to a rise in debts when expenses are not reduced while the income had lessened.




3. Poor savings

People who have overspent using their credit card will have difficulty in saving as they need to pay off their debts. Saving is very important because it provides a cushion for financial strain. In case of emergency, the savings could be used to save us, compared to using credit cards which has high rates and increases our debts.



Prevention of Credit Card Debts :



1. Making a budget

First step is to plan a budget. It is important to do planning for our money, so we are aware where our money is spent on. Determining our monthly income and required expenses, allowing us to calculate how much surplus or shortage we have every month.



2. Self control and discipline

People who use credit cards should learn how to control their spending and have discipline so that they are not easily tempted to purchase any product they want. By setting a credit limit into the credit card, one can control their spending.


3. Choosing the right credit card

Make sure to have done survey when applying for credit card. Every credit card has their advantage and disadvantage. One should consider what their credit card are used for when applying for the credit card.




Truly, credit card debts have caused misery to many people. Credit card companies allow individuals to spend a lot more than how much they can actually afford to payback. Therefore, we should always control our spending when using credit card and make sure to save.




Here are some useful links for further information:

1. http://www.bankrate.com/brm/news/debt/debt_manage_2004/top-10-causes.asp - Top 10 causes of debt

2. http://www.cardratings.com/howtoavoidcreditcarddebt.html - How to avoid Credit Card Debt

By Lishi

Incorporated in 1999, MSC Trustgate.com Sdn Bhd is a licensed Certification Authority (CA) operating within the Multimedia Super Corridor. Tits objective was to meet the growing need for secure open network communications and become the channel for the growth of e-commerce, both locally and across the ASEAN region .MSC Trustgate’s core business is providing digital certification services, including digital certificates, cryptographic products, and software development.


The vision of Trustgate is clear:
“To enable organizations to conduct their business securely over the Internet, as much as what they have been enjoying in the physical world.”

Why do we need 3rd party certification ?
Nowadays, the threats of internet are spreading over the whole world every minute and second. Without the 3rd party certification, when we are using the internet for business purpose our information will easily get stolen by spyware. So the MSC Trustgate can provide the program to the internet users to prevent the spyware. Beside this, the program from MSC Trustgate also providing email protection and validation to keep the internet users away from the spamming advertising and hacker program. So with the 3rd party certification, we can enjoy our transaction in the internet and don’t really need to worry about the macilious software when we are keeping updating with the qualification of 3rd party certification.

MSC trustgate is providing a lot of service to their users.
Here is some of the example from the service of MSC Trustgate

SSL Certificate
SSL certificate can ensure the user safe from the phishing in the internet. It can provide the trusted and confident to user in the business transaction travel over the whole world and ensure their information won’t be stolen by other parties.

MyKAD
My Kad is a digital certificate those government has place into every citizen identify card. It can allow it’s holder conduct online transaction with government agencies and private sectors.

Beside this, My Kad is providing personal identification function. We can use My Kad to make a digital signature to the document and it is being treated as a legal binding document as it is with a handwritten signature.

http://www.msctrustgate.com/

Is it safe to make use of online financial services? This is the doubt everyone concerns when they considers using online banking services. Nowadays, people tend to rely on internet to perform their daily tasks as it is convenient for us. When we make online payment or online purchase, we need to fill up our personal information such as names, date of birth, addresses, phone number, bank account, and credit card number in the online register forms. Phishing, information theft, and security hacking are potential threats that attacks our personal financial information. Therefore, it is important for us to protect the data from being damaged, misused, hacked and stolen by others.


The following tips will help us to become more aware of how to safeguard our personal and financial data.

1. Use strong password and change the password periodically.
We can use a strong password to protect access to our data. This can avoid unauthorized people attempting to view any private and confidential data. We should change the password frequently and never reveal any information, particularly passwords to anyone. Do not use passwords that are easy to guess, such as date of birth, username. A combination of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols will offer you more security. It is important for us to remember our passwords, because once we forget them, we may loss our data.



2. Use and update anti-virus and anti-spyware software frequently.
We should install a proper antivirus and spyware to safeguard our data against viruses and Trojan horses, such as installing Kaspersky, Symantec, avast! Antivirus or AVG Antivirus. It is also important to make sure the software is up to date and are always connected to the Internet to ensure updates are downloaded as soon as it is released. Spyware is hidden in a software programs which may affect the performance of the computer. We should perform scanning on entire computer periodically to ensure no anti-virus and anti-spyware is hiding in our computer.



3. Do not save any personal and financial data in the computer.
If we save any important data in the computer such as credit card number and ATM pin number, there is a risk of having the data stolen when others are using the computer. If we really need to save any confidential data, consider saving it temporarily on the storage device and remove that data from the device when it is finished. It is important to ensure that data had been completely erased and not just deleted.




4. Avoid accessing personal information in public.
We should use our personal computer to access personal and financial information such as e-mail or online banking. If we use shared computer in public places such as cyber café, public library and computer lab, we may be exposed to the risk of having our personal and financial information leaked or stolen by other user. Therefore, it is advisable to always log out or delete history, cookies and internet cache once we are done.



5. Install and use firewall.
Be sure to have firewall application installed in your computer. It is used to monitor network traffic, allowing and denying communications of information based on the security policy defined by the application. It also provides security against unwanted attempts in breaking into a personal computer, stealing files or harmfully manipulating the computer system through the Internet.



Here are some links you can refer to if you want to get more information:
1.http://www.us-cert.gov/cas/tips/ST06-008.html - Safeguarding Your Data 2.http://finance.yahoo.com/banking-budgeting/article/103893/Six-Ways-to-Safeguard-Your-Online-Assets - Six Ways to Safeguard Your Online Assets
3.http://www.fool.com/personal-finance/general/2006/09/23/safeguard-your-financial-life.aspx - Safeguard your financial life

By Lishi