How to Use the Microsoft Excel NORMSINV Function

Microsoft Excel is an electronic worksheet application wherein you can store, organize, and manipulate data. Excel has columns and rows which are labeled as numbers and letters.
To make your calculation easier with Excel you can use the Excel Functions. These functions include Math Functions, Database Functions, Engineering Functions, Statistical Functions and many others. Statistical Functions allow you to do common and complex computations starting with mean, median and mode to probability tests. However, some of the functions are not pre-installed in the older versions of Excel.
The Statistical Function is divided into sub-groups to easily find the function and formula you want to use. A sub-group of the Statistical Function is the Distribution and Test of Probability includes the NORMSINV function.
The NORMSINV function allows you to compute the inverse of the Standard Normal Cumulative Distribution Function for a given value of the probability. In this distribution, the standard mean is zero and the value of the standard deviation is one. The syntax of the NORMSINV function is =NORMSINV(probability). The probability argument refers to the probability in the normal distribution.
There are two common errors that occur while using the NORMSINV function and these are the #VALUE! Error and the #NUM! Error. If the given values in the probability are non-numerical values then the #NUM! Error will occur. Likewise, if the probability value are lesser than zero or more than one then the #NUM! error will occur.
Open a blank Excel worksheet or spreadsheet and input the formula on cell A1 =NORMSINV (0.908789) and the result will be 1.3333. The result is the probability of an inverse standard normal cumulative distribution. Another sample formula is =NORMSINV (0.25) and the result will be 0.67448975.
The NORMSINV function finds the z value in the probability such as the NORMSDIST (z). The precise value of the NORMSDIST depends greatly on the NORMSINV. Moreover, the NORMSINV use the iterative technique to search and if the coverage of the search did not reach 100 iterations the error #N/A will occur.
In using the NORMSINV functions the #NUM! error and the #VALUE! error will usually occur. The #NUM! error will occur if the given probability in the formula is less than or equal to zero and if the value is also greater than or equal to 1. The #VALUE! error will occur if the given probability in the formula is non-numeric.
Moreover, you can view from results to formulas and results to formulas by selecting the cell and hit the Ctrl+` (grave accent) keys. Also, you can do this by hitting the Formulas tab and select the Formula Auditing group and select the Show Formula options.

Seven Advamtages pf Online Learning

Are you concerned because you have failed to complete your education due to some personal problem? You need not worry anymore! Online learning now offers a more effective way of imparting education to students than the traditional method of classroom teaching. I have discussed below the seven advantages that online learning provides to all types of students.
In 2008, a survey was conducted by the University of Florida on 20 virtual schools in 14 states. The researchers stated that the "average yearly cost of online learning per full-time pupil was about $4,300". They compared the 2008 figure with the data of a 2006 survey that found out the annual average cost per student in public schools to be $9,100.
Distance No Barrier
With online courses, you can enjoy learning while staying at any place across the world. You don't have to bother going to school and attending the classes regularly. You can freely access the courses or subjects offered by the institutions over the Internet, anytime, 365 days of the year.
Effective Education
The online teaching method leads to far more effective results than what its classroom counterpart does. Students get to interact with their instructors online and resolve their queries accordingly. This web-based teaching system gives more room for exchange of ideas and other valuable information.
Interactive Teaching
Both the students and the teachers can engage in live discussions whenever they wish. Webinars can be organized throughout the year where you will get to hear the expert advice of well known instructors. You can ask questions and solve your course-related doubts.
No Software or Hardware Fixing
You don't have to buy, install, or maintain any software or hardware to learn online. You can apply for admission to any class during a given Cloud-based semester. Everything from registration to sending of fees can be done over the Internet without you being physically present to complete the process.
Reduce Expense
Organizations can save money as well as time while using the Cloud-based learning method. You don't have to spend much dollar on infrastructure. The money that you would spend on buying food or coffee gets saved once you enroll for an online course. What's more! You can become a local library member and borrow text books instead of waiting to get one reserved by some other pupil of the campus.
Earn Degrees Conveniently
You can conveniently earn an online degree while doing a job. Since the system allows you to study anytime, you get the time to finish your other important tasks.
Offers Greater Flexibility
The online teaching method lets students to start a course and end it depending on their convenience. There is no fixed time for study and hence, you can easily divide time for doing a job at daytime and studying at night.

Java, JDBC, and Database Web Services

Java is a computer programming language and is a core component of Sun Microsystems' Java platform and has achieved a universality that delivers offshore Java development seamlessly. JDBC (Java Database Connectivity) is an API for Java programming language that defines how a client can access a database, which when you outsource Java development leads to a homogeneous interface among heterogeneous systems. Database Web Services enables application-to-application interaction over the Web regardless of platform, language, or data formats.
JDBC Features
JDBC contains methods for querying and updating a database. JDBC is oriented towards relational databases. JDBC API dynamically chooses the correct Java packages and registers them with the JDBC Driver; a JDBC Driver is used to create JDBC connections. These connections support methods for querying and reporting. Java developers can execute statements remotely when data sources are distributed due to offshore Java development. The connections can accept and run "creating" and "executing" commands, e.g., SQL's update commands like CREATE, INSERT, UPDATE, and DELETE. It can also execute query commands such as SELECT. An update statement is one that updates data in the database and returns a number that is the count of the number of rows affected. Query statements fetch rows of information from the database to the client. There can be any number of rows in the returned data. Data can be retrieved by attributes like a name or a column number. JDBC Drivers are client-side adapters that translate Java program requests to a language that the DBMS can understand and respond to - critical interface that makes it plausible to outsource Java development.
JDBC API can be used by a Java developer to design Java applications that access any kind of tabular data, e.g., data in an RDBMS by using 3 programming steps.

• Connecting to a data source, such as a database
• Sending update or query statements to the database
• Receiving and processing the information returned from the database

The JDBC product components are:

• JDBC API - provides access to data in a database via Java programming language; executes SQL commands, receives results, and updates changes; interfaces with multiple data sources in a heterogeneous and distributed architecture
• JDBC Driver Manager - defines objects which can connect Java apps to a JDBC Driver
• JDBC Test Suite - helps to determine that JDBC drivers will run the program
• JDBC-ODBC Bridge - provides JDBC access via ODBC Drivers

JDBC architecture - JDBC API supports a 2-tier as well as a 3-tier
Architecture for Accessing a Database
2-Tier Architecture
Java app interfaces directly with the data source - a client-server configuration where the user's commands are directly processed by the data source and results are sent back to the user.
Source: docs.oracle.com
3-Tier Architecture
Java app interfaces with a middle tier, which sends the commands to the data source - makes it easy to control access, simplifies app deployment, and provides performance advantages.
Database Web Services features
Database Web Services allows seamless interaction between applications even though they have varying platforms, languages, or data formats. When you outsource Java development, the free interfacing between client and server apps becomes crucial. Database Web Services are standard mechanisms for easily accessing remote content and applications. Using stored procedures via standard Web Services protocols, a client app can query and retrieve information from a database repository, even remotely in case of offshore Java development. The non-dependency can work through heterogeneous, distributed, and non-connected environments. The core components like XML, SOAP, WSDL, and UDDI are used across the industry powering up enhanced offshore Java development. Web services are implemented in the middle tier application servers. Database Web Services works either by accessing database resources as a Web service or consuming external Web services from the database itself. Some salient features of Database Web Services are:

• Enhanced PL/SQL
• Java-in-the-database
• SQL Query
• DML

Why Use CakePHP for Web Development

CakePHP is an open source framework which offers a rapid application development platform to web developers. As the name suggests, it uses PHP, the most popular open source programming language for developing web applications. CakePHP allows web development companies to develop highly robust and featured websites by using simple procedures. Although there are many PHP frameworks available in the market but CakePHP has managed to secure its position among the most popular web development platforms available in the market.
The reasons to use CakePHP for web development are:
The MVC Pattern: CakePHP is based on Model-View-Control model which separates the business logic from the data presentation layer. Models connect the database with queries and save the data in the database. Views present content in a viewable format to the end user whereas controllers process the data before it interacts with the database or model.
Object Relational Mapping: Data is saved in the form of tables which are further represented through classes. Relationships can be defined between different tables through these classes. Further, validation definition and callbacks can also be predefined in this setup. CakePHP supports ORM technique thus incorporates the features of an object oriented programming language.
Allows the Reusability of the Code: CakePHP allows the usage of prewritten code into different projects which saves a lot of development time. Developers don't need to focus much on code writing thus they can concentrate on the logical and creative part of the project rather than writing code. Chunks of code can be picked and incorporated into the projects.
Zero Configurations: CakePHP requires zero configurations before developers can start using it. Most of the feature and settings are auto detected thus developers are not required to configure any settings other than the database connection settings.
In-built Validation: CakePHP offers built-in validation features that are very simple yet efficient in use. Developers can attach multiple validation rules to a single file and attain advanced validation functionality.
CRUD Scaffolding: CakePHP offers CRUD functionality which allows easy management of data. It allows you to Create, Read, Update and Delete the various entities in the system. Most of the database management issues are solved by implementing CRUD in the CakePHP framework. Developers can easily compress and store data and get help from the CakePHP development community whenever they want.
Open Source Platform and Supports PHP: The most important factor for the wide popularity of CakePHP is that it is an open source web development platform and supports PHP for web application development. This allows PHP developers to create highly robust and cost effective websites.
Normally, web development companies and PHP web development service providers work on very tight budget therefore they try to explore and extract maximum out of these open source technologies to develop highly functional and cost effective websites in the minimum timeframe. CakePHP was launched in year 2005 when most of the market was captured by Ruby on Rails and Spring frameworks. Since then CakePHP has performed magnificently and now has a fair share of its own. Web development service providers and PHP developers are now making extensive use of CakePHP for web development and web application development purposes.

How to Manage Users and Groups in Linux

There are several ways to create a users and groups in Linux that are graphical, however the standard way to create a user is through the command line.
Step one is to create the group, then create the user and place the user in the group. In Linux when a user is created without specifying a group then a group is created by the same name as the user. Consider a system that has 100 users if each user was created without specifying a group then there will be 100 groups. You must be root in order to create users, groups, and users' passwords.
# groupadd executive
Creates the executive group. To verify that a group was created view the /etc/group file.
# useradd -d /home/gbush -group executive gbush
Creates the directory /home/gbush, add the user gbush to the group executive group. To verify that the user was created view the /etc/passwd file. This file contains a record of all of the users on the system.
# passwd gbush
texan
texan
Creates a password for the user gbush as texan. The password of texan does not fit the necessary length and complexity, but as root you can change the password to anything you want.
# useradd -d /home/dcheney -group executive dcheney
Other useful commands are
userdel and groupdel for deleting users and groups.
usermod and groupmod for modifying users and groups.
Tip:
Considering the current political structure of this example (executive, legislative and judicial) can help you create groups, then add the appropriate users.
New Sessions
In Linux you can create login sessions by pressing Control+ALT and Function1 through Function6 keys. This is a good way to test the new user accounts.
Identity
Because it can be difficult knowing who you are logged in as you can type the following command
#id
This will tell you who you are and what groups you belong to.
You may also become another user by using the su command.
#su gbush
This command would allow you to become gbush. If you are not the root user then you will be asked for the password of gbush.
#su - gbush
The above command says that you want to become gbush and you would like to run his startup scripts and be placed in his home directory.
You may become a member of a different group by using the newgrp command.
#newgrp executive
Would place you in the executive group. Please note that if this is not your default group as noted in the /etc/passwd file, and you are not listed as a member in the /etc/group file then you will not be allowed to become a member of the group. As far as root is concerned, root can do anything at anytime.
HELP
Help can be obtained by using the manual command.
#man ls
Would give you the manual page of the ls command. This can be quite helpful if you forget an option to a command.
If you cannot remember a command but you know what it is similar to you can use the apropos command.
# apropos who
Would show you all of the command that have the word contain the world who.
The help command can be used to get help on some built in command.
#help logout
If you are concerned about where in the file system a command would be run from type in the following
#whereis rm
Would show you where in the system the rm command would be executed, if you were to type the command.
If you know part of the command but you would like to know where it exist on the system you can use the locate command which searches a database of file name that is maintained nightly.
#locate who
Would show you all of the files that have the word who in them. This search is done through out the system. This is good for user defined commands.
Commands
In order to configure the Linux computer for different services, you should have a good understanding of standard UNIX and TCP/IP commands. These are a few of the commands that are used in Linux:
ls
who
cat
pwd
cd
telnet
rlogin
ftp
rcp
traceroute
login
man
cp
bash
ln
passwd
rm
su
touch
startx
df
du
rsh
uptime
vi
pico
at
cron
more
find
rmdir
mkdir
ping
nslookup

Magento Introduction: Magento For Developers

Magento, a powerful and successful ecommerce platform widely used by global developers has changed the era of ecommerce world. It allows developers to create magic by developing next-generation, dynamic and highly attractive web applications with the use of its rich features. Magento development is based on PHP framework and is an affordable solution for ecommerce sites. Most of the people around the world opt to get involved with ecommerce business and thus Magento development is the best option for them. It offers Magento developers with flexible and attractive design options so that their stores attract more visitors.
Being an open source it is more advantageous for Magento developers to use it for development of online stores/websites. However if you want to use this program then it is advisable to learn some basic knowledge of how it works, how to run it, how to get the most out of it and how to get it developed by skilled designers/developers.
The first step towards learning Magento is its code which is organized into individual modules. A PHP application which has MVs framework controllers are in a single folders while rest all modules are in another. Magento customization needs extending the blocks, modules, features, helpers or just editing the core files. It allows managing multiple websites or stores with just one backend. While creating a new module for Magento customization you need to add an XML file to a folder. Being a convention based MVC based system whenever any new controller is added it needs creation of file/class so that the system can automatically pick it up.
In Magento Development identification of your business or company is referred as Package or a Namespace. Different community members will use their individual package name for creating modules so re-use of other's code is avoided. Each portion of URL specifies different things like the first one tells the front name while the second one tells Magento to use the controller and third one is the action name which is "view".
For using the controllers it is necessary to configure them so that it is linked with Module with a URL. By not finding a valid controller for a URL Magento tries again with second set of routing rules. Magento uses static factory methods on the global mage class which is called Grouped class known as URI. Similar to other frameworks also Magento offers ORM system which helps you out to avoid writing of SQL and results into pure clean PHP code. It also allows multiple objects via an interface.
Magento has two types of model objects, one is the traditional one and the other one is Entity Attribute Value Model. While instantiating these models all attributes are selected automatically. EAV offers flexibility in Magento customization. After dealing with models, helpers and controllers now it is the turn of:

• Setting variables for view
• Loading of default "outer" HTML layout by the system
• Loading of view inside the outer layout by the system

A tree or nested collection of "Block objects is called as Magento Layout. Each block renders a specific bit of HTML and performs with the help of PHP code. These blocks are specifically meant for retrieving data. These mini controllers (Blocks) can be defined well as head and body for HTML. Also there are additional blocks for various purposes like navigation, welcome message etc.
Magento also implements event/observer pattern like other system so that end users hook into it easily. It allows you to save and even issue any event signal if desired. Last but not the least Magento is a great system that allows to replace model, helper and block classes from the core modules with your own. Anyone out of you is likely to have a single store, website or store view but be sure and aware enough that you can expand the product for any changes in future.

Discount Ink Cartridges: Finding Certified Online Ink Retailers

An issue that many consumers face when purchasing office supplies is trying to find the best quality for the lowest prices. Though there are a number of questions one must ask oneself when buying any product, purchasing ink cartridges present a number of unique challenges. What is the minimum quality acceptable? Would remanufactured cartridges fulfill one's needs? Are refills an option? Answering these questions can help any consumer make the best decision. When considering the various options available, try to keep in mind that the cheapest printer ink cartridges are typically of equal or greater value than their OEM counterparts.
Though there's a great deal of propaganda out there that generic inks have the potential to damage brand printers, the potential for such damage is actually quite low. As long as the quality of ink is approximately the same, one should be perfectly safe using the cheapest printer ink cartridges that are compatible with brand printers. That being said, learning the exact brand and model of one's printer will greatly reduce the chance of purchasing an incompatible ink, further reducing the risk of harm to the machine. Printer manufacturers do not want consumers purchasing generic inks and, consequently, cannot be entirely trusted to provide accurate information regarding such generic inks.
Going online can greatly increase one's chances of finding deep discounts on office supplies ranging from high gloss photo paper to high quality generic printer inks. With a minimal understanding of how to navigate the internet and a penchant for savings, spending less on ink shouldn't be terribly challenging. One issue that must be considered is that any website that does not hold ISO-9001 certification should not be trusted. Why risk purchasing inferior products because the company didn't take the effort to gain certification? Finding certified online ink retailers is simply a matter of doing a search in one's favorite search engine.
Whether one is printing beautiful, high quality photos on one's home printer or using the office printer to improve workplace communication, finding the cheapest printer ink deal for your printer should be top priority. With the host of acceptable retailers available online, there simply isn't an excuse for paying the high prices typical at stationary supply stores. Giving in to brand retailers just doesn't make sense. Save time, energy, and frustration - go online and find the best ink retailer around. Don't forget to pass on the savings by donating to a favorite charity or offering to print photos on the home printer for friends and family.

What Benefits Can NFC Technology Bring To The UK Consumer?

As technology advances the term Near Field Communications (NFC) will sure to be identifiable to many, but perhaps not entirely sure of its applications or reasons for being. As of late NFC is becoming more and more apparent within consumers products such as mobile phones, credit cards, door entry systems and even in sim cards themselves. Forecasts conducted by Juniper Research discovered that by 2014 one in five smartphones will feature NFC technology.
So What Is NFC?
NFC is a short range wireless technology that can be used to to carry out transactions between two electronic devices at close range. Hence the technology being widely adopted and embraced by mobile manufacturers. A NFC device must include three to four elements. The NFC interface and antenna. Including Bluetooth pairing and smart poster/tag detection. The NFC standards cover communications protocols and data exchange formats that are based on already existing radio frequency identification (RFID) standards.
To help give an example of the most likely successful attempt to embrace this new technology is Google Wallet.
The new service provided by Google will eventually allow any mobile device to make payments in-store. By simply tapping the mobile phone onto the stores NFC compatible receiver. That will usually be incorporated into the chip and pin devices currently in use. Although, Google Wallet is currently only available at over 140,000 merchants across the US, with future plans of implementing worldwide in the near future.
As explained by Google, Google Wallet will eventually incorporate your loyalty cards, receipts, gift cards, boarding passes enabling your phone to do more than your wallet ever could. Other applications that can soon become widely adopted can be for use with public transport. Much like the oyster card that is currently available in London.
How Can NFC Benefit Me?
The benefits of using NFC in many of our every day activities are yet to be seen but it's clear to see the possibilities are endless. Wherever sharing, transactions and pairing is required NFC can be implemented.
For sharing between devices, Bluetooth and WI-FI currently require strict co-operations and agreements between the two devices. Whereas, although NFC has a much more limited range it ultimately consumes less power and reduces the requirement of passwords and security codes.
So once the devices are both registered through NFC by simply touching the devices. There is more flexibility, since the devices can then be moved to a similar range that Bluetooth has.
But contactless payment has to be the best use of such a technology at the moment. With the possibility for instant payments that are made by simply swiping the card near a payment reader. Currently Barclays already uses debit cards that has contactless technology built in. This can enable all users to pay for items that are less than £15. Although still in the introduction stage, there is still quite a way to go before everybody will be able to maximise the use and benefits that NFC can bring.
With so many advances in mobile technology it is difficult to imagine what the future will hold. With camera's capable of capturing 8 megapixel photo's and 1080p HD video with the combination of now achieving cheap calls to USA, Australia, Poland and anywhere from a mobile device. It's almost impossible to imagine a world without smartphones and where the limits are for the devices to continually grow and improve.

10 Reasons Why You Shouldn't Buy A New Laptop Charger On Cost Alone

Laptop chargers do not last forever. They are likely to develop some fault for one reason or another. Sometimes, pets and children at home tend to damage them. In some cases, a faulty laptop power supply can cause flaws as well.
Many people tend to rush out and purchase cheap laptop chargers from the internet or a local store. While these chargers may serve you well in the beginning, they can cause more issues in the long run. Read on to learn about the most important reasons as to why you should not use price as the only parameter to select a laptop charger:
1. You are likely to miss out on important parameters related to quality and compatibility when price becomes the only important aspect in such purchase decisions. A large number of people regret buying inexpensive and non-branded chargers that last for a week or less.
2. In some cases, you can even find laptop chargers being sold as low as £10. However, such chargers can destroy your expensive laptop if anything goes wrong. It can then be pretty hard to convince a service center for free repairs to fix damages caused by a faulty or non-certified charger.
3. A laptop charger must meet all your laptop power requirements. Any incompatibility can cause serious damage to your device. Complications in your charger can cause significant damages to electrical circuits in your laptop.
4. Never buy a universal charger if you can find a genuine model recommended by the manufacturer on the internet.
5. Not all laptop chargers are designed to adjust to the surrounding temperatures. This is especially the case with cheap chargers available online. Low or high temperatures can cause a cheap and low quality laptop charger to malfunction very easily.
6. Almost all manufacturers recommend a particular charger according to the specifications of a laptop. These specifications are stamped on the rear end of a laptop.
7. Ignoring compatibility issues of a laptop battery and charger can be a very costly mistake.
8. Many 'shady' manufacturers are now selling duplicate chargers as well. These may appear to be original since they are stamped with company logos and holograms, but they are not. Unbelievably low prices are the most common tactic used by scammers to sell such duplicate items on the internet.
9. It is possible to find laptop chargers with additional features. For example, you can now find solar chargers based on photovoltaic function. Many chargers are designed to protect laptops from frequent fluctuations as well. A cheap laptop charger has none of these features.
10. In the long term, a cheap and low quality charger can only cause problems for a laptop owner.
Scores of online retailers are trying to persuade customers to buy inexpensive and low quality computer peripherals. It is easy to get fooled if you are not careful about selecting only branded and genuine laptop chargers and other computer accessories online. You must visit only a trusted and reputed online seller to ensure the safety and longevity of your laptop.