| Name | Description | Link |
| Ubuntu | Ubuntu is an operating system built by a worldwide team of expert developers. It contains all the applications you need: a web browser, office suite, media apps, instant messaging and much more. Ubuntu is an open-source alternative to Windows and Microsoft Office. If you took the ride on Windows Vista, and wish you could have received compensation for your troubles, then this is your payment in full. | Ubuntu |
| OpenDNS | Want a fast and easy way to secure your home network and control the content your family sees on the internet? With a simple setting change of your DNS servers on your wireless or wired router, any device that connects to your home network is protected and you control the content your family sees on every computer, iPod, laptop, or game console. Best of all...it's FREE. No software to install either. Setup takes only minutes!
| OpenDNS
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| Security Basics | Protect your computer. 'Beyond the Basics' is a nice site by Microsoft. | Security Basics |
Password Checker | Think you have a strong password that no one can guess? Try this nifty password checker out. | Password checker |
| Speed Test | Check the true speed of your internet connection. | Speed Test |
| Firefox | A great web browser that is an alternative to Internet Explorer. | Firefox |
Crap Cleaner (a.k.a. CCleaner) | Quite simply, one of the best little utilities out there. It is a simple tool, that cleans your system of all the "crap" and junk left over from browsing the Internet and cleans up much more than just your temporary files and Internet cache. It also allows you to easily control what programs run at Windows startup. There isn't a machine that we haven't worked on that doesn't get this great little tool installed. Simple and very effective! You'll notice an immediate improvement.
| CCleaner |
Microsoft Security Essentials | Microsoft Security Essentials provides real-time protection for your home PC that guards against viruses, spyware, and other malicious software. Free download. | Microsoft Security Essentials |
AVG Anti-Virus | A very good free anti-virus program. The latest version is 9.0 and just came out in late October. Be sure to grab the FREE version.
| AVG
|
| Comodo Internet Security | This one combines a great anti-virus program with a solid firewall. The free version is all you need. I use it on my primary laptop. Solid as a rock program that protects you silently and doesn't use a lot of system resources. | Comodo Internet Security
|
| Comodo Firewall Pro | A top-rated free firewall, perhaps even better than ZoneAlarm (free edition). If all you are running is the built-in firewall that comes with Windows, then you need this program. | Comodo Firewall |
| Spybot - Search & Destroy | While you should only run one anti-virus program, you should have more than one spyware/adware/malware program on your system. Different programs can catch different things, and some programs miss what other programs find. Spybot S&D is a tried and tested application and should be on EVERY computer that's connected to the Internet. Scan your system with this tool at least weekly. Be sure to check for updates before running scans.
| Spybot S&D |
| Malwarebytes Anti-Malware | Whether you know it or not your computer is always at risk of becoming infected with viruses, worms, trojans, rootkits, dialers, spyware, and malware that are constantly evolving and becoming harder to detect and remove. Only the most sophisticated anti-malware techniques can detect and remove these malicious programs from your computer. Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware is considered to be the next step in the detection and removal of malware.
| Malwarebytes |
Trend Micro Free Online Scan | Trend Micro is a reputable firm and has some great tools, including HijackThis. This link allows you to do a free online scan of your system.
| Trend Micro |
| Ad-Aware Free | Yet another very popular anti-spyware/malware program. This one has probably been around the longest and gone through a nice evolution. The latest version is definitely the best yet. | Ad-Aware Free |
| WinRAR | A great compression utility used to extract .rar & .zip files and much more. A completely necessary utility for the true "techie". Just think of it as the new WinZip. | WinRAR |
| Secunia | Since we are the home of the "Chief Inspector", it only makes sense to recommend this nifty web site. The Secunia Online Software Inspector, or OSI, is a fast way to scan your PC for the most common programs and vulnerabilities, thus checking if your PC has a minimum security baseline against known patched vulnerabilities. Want to update all your device drivers and software? See: Remember Updates.com? | Secunia OSI |
| UltraVNC | Would you like to be able to remote control a distant PC? Do you need to support customers or users in another location? Then this is your solution. UltraVNC is a very flexible program and does a lot more than the built-in 'Remote Desktop' that comes with Windows XP. It's open source, and it's free. | UltraVNC |
| Microsoft SharedView | Connect with up to 15 people in different locations and get your point across by showing them what's on your screen. Share, review, and update documents with multiple people in real time. A Windows Live ID (Passport, Hotmail, or MSN) is required to start sessions, but not to join sessions.
Works great for tech remote support too! Rated "E" for everyone. Simpler to use than UltraVNC (above)...designed for the average windows user.
| Microsoft SharedView
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| IE7Pro | If you're running Internet Explorer 7 (to find out which version you are using, just open Internet Explorer and choose "Help", then click "About"), this is a must have add-on! If you are using Firefox, then there are all sorts of add-ons here. | IE7Pro |
Defraggler | If you've been using the Windows XP built-in defragmenter, step up to a better way to defragment. Defraggler differs from other defragmentation tools by enabling you to quickly and simply defragment the files you want to, without having to process the whole drive. Simply run it, select the file and defragment in seconds. It can also defragment your entire hard drive. Very clever. | Defraggler |