Here's wishing each of you and your families a very, merry Christmas! I hope Santa leaves something special for you under the tree this evening.
Since I don't have any spare phonographs to send you folks, I'll give you a list of my favorite links to free software that can make your online experience much safer in the new year. First, a new browser - Firefox. Use it in place of Internet Explorer wherever you can and it will help protect you against most security issues that plague IE. Firefox is getting rave reviews and can be downloaded free at http://www.getfirefox.com Next, a new mail client - Thunderbird. Not only will it save you from a host of vulnerabilities in Outlook/Outlook Express, it will also weed out the spam for you. Free at http://www.getthunderbird.com Still insist on using Outlook? SpamPal will fix your spam problem there too. Download free at http://www.spampal.org Don't like paying for antivirus software? Try the free edition of AVG antivirus at http://www.grisoft.com . A close second is ClamWin free antivirus at http://www.clamwin.net . Take care of your spyware problems with Ad-Aware at http://www.lavasoftusa.com . An equivalent alternative is Spybot Search & Destroy. Download it at http://www.download.com/Spybot-Search-Destroy/3000-8022_4 -10289035.html?tag=lst-0-2 Now, if you're still plinking around on AOL or other dialup services, it's time to look into broadband. Check your local cable or telephone provider to see if broadband is available in your area. It's getting cheaper and the speed will amaze you. Just make sure your connection is FIREWALLED, or you'll be in for a bucket load of bad news (viruses). If you don't know how to firewall your computer, check with your family geek :) Last, if you've made it this far, I've got FIVE GMAIL ACCOUNTS to give away! Just email me OFF LIST at [email protected] . Each GMail account comes with 1 GB of mail storage and excellent spam filtering. First come, first served. Now, go get some eggnog. And play a record or two! Loran
