Real Life Internet Solutions - Column

Getting Along With Your Computer Column Archive

[Home] [About Cate] [Services] [Costs] [Contact] [Virus Info] [Column]

A big thank you to our friends at Castanet.Net for running our column there. If you missed any of the columns, you can read them here. Would you like to subscribe by email? Click here.

This page is an addendum to a column which appeared on castanet.net December 28, 2006. You can read the entire column here.

This page lists software that I think is helpful. This software is free, unless otherwise noted.

Protect your computer

Anti-virus

AVG Free, available here: http://free.grisoft.com/doc/1.

Firewall

	Use the one built into Windows XP ships with Windows XP.
	ZoneAlarm, available here: http://www.zonelabs.com/. (You have to be persistent to find the Free version, but keep going, and do not download a trial version.)

Anti-spyware

	Windows Defender, available here: http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/spyware/software/default.mspx.
	Ad-Aware, available here: http://www.lavasoftusa.com/products/ad-aware_se_personal.php
	Spybot Search & Destroy, available here: http://www.safer-networking.org/en/index.html

"Security Suite"

TrendMicro's PC-Cillin. (The new version seems just to be called TrendMicro Internet Security.) Learn more here: http://www.pc-cillin-zone.com/pc-cillin-canada.html. You have to pay for this product.

Surge Protectors: (Surge protectors are not the same thing as multiple outlets!!!)

	Here is some information on surge protectors from Wikipedia: http://www.howstuffworks.com/surge-protector.htm
	Article from How Stuff Works about surge protectors: http://www.howstuffworks.com/surge-protector.htm.

Protect your data

Backup programs

	Built in backup utility in XP (More info here: http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/setup/learnmore/bott_03july14.mspx)
	SyncBack: http://www.2brightsparks.com/freeware/index.html
	Acronis True Image 10 (not free!): http://www.acronis.com/

Secure your wireless network

	Consult your router manual
	Consult a professional

Password tools

	Secure Password Generator http://www.winguides.com/security/password.php
	Oubliette http://www.tranglos.com/free/oubliette.html

Get organized

Email

	How to back up and recover Outlook Express data http://support.microsoft.com/kb/270670
	How to manage personal folders files in Outlook http://support.microsoft.com/kb/196492
	How to back up Thunderbird http://www.techsupportalert.com/how_to_backup_mozilla_firefox.htm

Photos

Picasa http://picasa.google.com/

CD/DVD Burning software

	DeepBurner http://www.deepburner.com/?r=news&id=52
	Nero (not free!) http://www.nero.com/enu/index.html

Links
Getting Along With Your Computer Column Archives http://rlis.com/column.htm
Get Cate's column by email http://www.feedblitz.com/f/?Sub=20618
RSS Feed: http://rlis.com/rlis.xml

---
Cate Eales has been helping people make online computing safe, accessible and fun for over 20 years. She lives in Kelowna with her husband, Eric, and her dog, Sandy. Cate is a partner in Real Life Internet Solutions, helping individuals and small businesses with virus, spyware and malware eradication; personal computer training and management; digital image management; music transfer; and website design, hosting and management. Email Cate at cate@rlis.com with your comments, suggestions, or questions. To browse the column archives, visit the Real Life Internet Solutions website at www.rlis.com.

[Home] [About Cate] [Services] [Costs] [Contact] [Virus Info] [Column]