May I recommend…

Some computer surfin’ freebies I recommend to those who want the best possible experience without the threat that the internet can give. I promise … they’re free.

“An unpatched, months-old vulnerability in Microsoft’s Internet Explorer is now even more dangerous, security firms reported Monday.” http://www.informationweek.com/story/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=57700320#_
Now how many times does this have to happen?

For the fix… I recommend FireFox http://www.mozilla.org/products/firefox/
Firefox 1.0 empowers you to browse faster, more safely and more efficiently than with any other browser. Join more than 16 million others and make the switch today ��?��?��? Firefox imports your Favorites, settings and other information, so you have nothing to lose.
Great pop-up blocker, fast, and smart….plus if you’re tech savvy….it has a bunch of plugins you can add.

Email…well often the first thing we think of is Spam or Viruses. After the rashes we had last year with email viruses…I found a good remedy for this too, and it is from the same makers as FireFox.
(drum roll…….) Allow me to recommend ThunderBird. http://www.mozilla.org/products/thunderbird/

Thunderbird makes emailing safer, faster, and easier than ever before with the industry’s best implementations of features such as intelligent spam filters, built-in RSS reader, quick search, and much more.

I have used Thunderbird for some time now, and I can testify that the junk mail filter works better than symantec’s equal software. After a little training…it takes about 95% of the junk mail and throws it in the trash…whooo hooo!

Another feature I like about it is multiple email account inbox’s. I have several accounts and i can check them easily as opening Thunderbird. They stay organized, and easier than logging on to all the different acounts.
Want to backup your emails….then restore after windows takes a crash….You have a second FREE software program that backs up Thunderbird easily…. MozBackup http://mozbackup.jasnapaka.com/index-old.html

Anti-Virus???? well there is only one free one I recommend… AVG anti-virus. http://www.grisoft.com/us/us_index.php
I use this on a couple windows boxes I have, and have put it on several other peoples PC’s. It works & it is free!

Chat… I recommend GAIM http://gaim.sourceforge.net/ Gaim is a multi-protocol instant messaging (IM) client for Linux, BSD, MacOS X, and Windows. It is compatible with AIM and ICQ (Oscar protocol), MSN Messenger, Yahoo!, IRC, Jabber, Gadu-Gadu, SILC, GroupWise Messenger, and Zephyr networks.

Gaim users can log in to multiple accounts on multiple IM networks simultaneously. This means that you can be chatting with friends on AOL Instant Messenger, talking to a friend on Yahoo Messenger, and sitting in an IRC channel all at the same time.

I use GAIM as my only chat client. Logging onto MSN, Yahoo, ICQ, AOL, and Lotus Sametime. It is very nice to have them all there in one client.

MP3 and music…..LOL no other than iTunes. http://www.apple.com/itunes/ Simple and short..the best!

Well, the reason for this post was promted by several phone calls and emails I have received in the last couple days asking…what do you recommend for…? So I hope you try some of the software mentioned, and if you have any other questions or comments…post them here…or email me.

Have a great day.

PS. when your ready for a big, yet good change try Linux, or Mac. LOL
JC