BOOT CAMP 288 (19/08/03)

Shareware and Freeware, Part 2, Email & Internet

This week’s assortment of shareware and freeware programs is designed to make web surfing more productive, enjoyable and secure. As usual most of these programs are free, but it’s worth checking out the paid-for upgrades and licensed versions, which may include extra functions, remove any advertising messages or entitle you to help and on-line support 

AVANT BROWSER, freeware, 1.0Mb, Windows 9x/NT/2000/XP,

www.avantbrowser.com

There are plenty of alternatives to Microsoft Internet Explorer but for the sake of convenience and cost most people stick with IE. Now there’s a serious rival, called Avant Browser, which is actually an upgrade and builds on IE’s good points – compatibility and ease of use – plus a host of new features, and like IE it’s free! Avant Browser integrates seamlessly with Windows, it’ll even import all of your Favourites and Links, but it’s all of the genuinely useful features that make this one different. These include a built-in pop-up stopper, multi-window browsing (tabbed windows), built-in Google Search facility, extra mouse functions (forward and back page step and new window opening when you click on a link with middle mouse button), safe recovery (it remembers the last web pages viewed if Windows crashes), an option to store and encrypt passwords and customisable appearance using downloadable skins. There’s plenty more but give it a try and we suspect you’ll find it difficult to go back to IE.

MAILWASHER, 1.4Mb, freeware, Windows 95, 9x/NT/2000/XP,

http://www.mailwasher.net/

Is your email Inbox being swamped by a tide of Spam? MailWasher works in conjunction with popular email clients like Outlook Express and can help to get rid of Spam by checking the contents of your mailbox, before it’s downloaded onto your PC. This simple to use program gives you the opportunity to check your messages and mark persistent ones for automatic deletion or ‘bouncing’. This is a clever trick that returns the email to the sender, flagged as undeliverable in the hope that the spammer will remove you from their mailing list.

ADAWARE, freeware, 1.7Mb, Windows 9x/NT/2000/XP, http://www.lavasoftusa.com/

Many web sites are spiked with adware and spyware programs that infiltrate your PC without you knowing anything about it. A weekly check with AdAware should keep your PC free from these intrusions and free updates are available to maintain a high degree of protection.

SPYBOT SEARCH AND DESTROY, freeware, 3.6Mb, Windows 9x/NT/2000/XP, http://security.kolla.de/

An alternative to AdAware, or use them both if you’re a really heavy-duty web user. Slightly more sophisticated and with customisation features but equally good at seeking out the nasties that lurk inside web pages.

EMS FREE SURFER, freeware, 1.72Mb, Windows 9x/NT/2000/XP,

http://www.kolumbus.fi/eero.muhonen/FS/fs.htm

If you are being driven potty by ‘pop-up’ adverts whilst surfing the Internet install FreeSurfer. It’s highly effective and gets rid of almost all of these unwanted intrusions. The program also features a ‘Panic’ button that instantly shuts down an offending web page.

SPIDER, freeware, 350kb,Windows 9x, http://www.fsm.nl/ward/

Every web site you’ve ever visited is secretly recorded by Windows, moreover these log files are hidden and cannot be erased by conventional means. Spider is the only freeware program we know of that can delete these files; its only shortcoming is that it doesn’t work with Windows XP.

AGNITUM OUTPOST, freeware, 2.7Mb, Windows 9x/NT/2000/XP

www.agnitum.com/products/outpost/

Your PC is under constant attack every time you log on to the Internet. A Firewall is a program that prevents unauthorised access to your PC when you’re online and stops programs and utilities on your PC, including spyware and Trojans, installed on your computer without your knowledge from using your Internet connection. Outpost is very highly configurable and regularly updated to make sure you stay one step ahead of the hackers  

Please note that you download and install these programs entirely at your own risk and can we cannot provide any help or support.

Next week – Shareware and freeware, part 3

JARGON FILTER

ADWARE & SPYWARE

Programs secreted in web pages or software downloads that makes use of your Internet connection – without your knowledge or permission -- to display advertising or send personal or private data from your PC to a parent site

POP-UP

Web page or ‘banner’ advert that appears when you visit a web site

SPAM

Unwanted email, usually trying to sell you something or advertising offensive and pornographic web sites

TIP OF THE WEEK

Here’s yet another essential utility for Google fans. G-Search puts a small ‘G’ icon on your desktop or toolbar, hover the mouse pointer over it and a search field and ‘Go button appears. Type in your search word(s); click Go and Google opens with the results. It’s freeware, works on all versions of Windows and the download is tiny, just 20kb. You’ll find it at: http://homepage.mac.com/av11d/gSearch/