We suggest separate programs for each main Internet activity -
Email, Web Browsing, and Newsgroup Reading. Use the right tool
for the right job. All prices listed are in US dollars.
Email Clients
Eudora -
We use and recommend this program. Price: Free
for "Light" version or ad-supported version (we suggest
the "Light" version), or ?
for the "Pro" version.
Pegasus Mail
- A text-only email client (generally immune to viruses and
worms directed at M$ OutLook Express.) Price: Free.
MailWasher
- An add-on email tool which lets you examine email headers
before downloading. Also features spam, virus, and attachment
filtering, blacklist/whitelist, and can return fake bounce errors
to senders, so that they will think that your address isn't
valid (e.g. to get removed from persistent mailing/spam lists.)
Price: Free.
Web Browsers
Mozilla Firefox - We use and recommend this program. Includes
features like automatic deletion of cache and cookies after
each session. Price: Free.
Netscape
- We use and recommend this program. Somewhat more security-restrictive
and easy to use than M$ IE. Price: Free.
Opera -
A security-concious Web browser. Price: Ad-supported version:
Free. Regular (no ads version):
$39.
Usenet (Newsgroup) Readers
Forte Agent
- We have used and recommend this program (although we later
switched to Gravity.) The "Free Agent" version has
impaired features, but the full (paid) version has decent features,
including killfiles/filters. Price: Free for basic ("Free
Agent") version, or $29.95
for full version.
MicroPlanet
Gravity - We use and recommend this program. The most powerful
Windows newsreader that we have seen, with the best killfile/filtering
functions. Price: Free.
NewsProxy
(A.K.A. Nfilter) - We use and recommend this program. This
is an add-on to your usual newsreader, and can filter on numerous
header criteria (e.g. if you us a newsreader that doesn't have
filters at all.) It is also the only way that we know of that
Windows users can filter on server path and/or crossposting
information (e.g. if the post is coming from a certain ISP,
or if it is crossposted to a particular newsgroup [e.g. a known
troll group.]) Price: Free. Here
are some specific recommendations for using this product.
Other
Evidence
Eliminator - Claims to securely delete various Internet
cache files. Note that they have been associated with inappropriate
behavour on Usenet. Also, the name of their product could
be viewed as a red-flag if it is found on your computer during
an investigation. Price: $149.95
