These are both free programs I downloaded off the computer and I am wondering if anyone understands how these work. We have had 2 bad problems this year. One were my ATM card number was used on the internet after having purchased used books from 2 places. Another where porn came addressed to me and I figure that has to be the internet also.

Specific questions I have in general do you know how good these programs are?

Are they ok even if they are free? For Sygate it shows no hits but show incoming and outgoing traffic, what is this?

For Webwasher I cannot tell if I have the right boxes checked. We are getting a lot less porn, in fact I think only one in the last week.

I am trying to load the free virus protection grist something but my computer keeps crashing. I had McAfee but kept having problems and on top of that I had to get online help which cost my $100.00. I could not believe it. Very expensive support.

So have I got this right? You need virus protection, email and internet filter and a firewall. Anything I have forgotten?

I did not see it posted here but did you all know that the weekend yahoo was down they changed peoples mail preferences? I had to go in and change mine and was getting quite a bit of junk before that.

Lynn

-- Lynn (johnnypfc@yahoo.com), May 03, 2002

Answers

Lynn, Symantec's (Norton) combo is probably the best and easiest, but not cheap. For free, I don't think there is a better firewall than Zone Alarm, millions use and love it. I don't know about free virus scanners, and I'm not familiar with webwasher either. You might check with your ISP, mine for istance has spam filters built in, which can be set directly on the mail server, meaning anything I filter out never downloads to my computer. It's great.

-- CJ (sheep@katahdins.net), May 04, 2002.

Might look at web sites for PCWorld.com, ZDNet.com or CNet.com, think they are both owned by the same company now, but both have virus free downloads and great articles on software and anything to do with computers and even articles on Apple software.

-- BC (desertdweller44@yahoo.com), May 04, 2002.

I use avg free software and have never had a problem.

-- Patty {NY State} (fodfarms@hotmail.com), May 04, 2002.

Patty what is avg? Does that stand for something? Is it for a filter? Lynn

-- Lynn (johnnypfc@yahoo.com), May 04, 2002.

I looked at the Symantec and they have a $20.00 rebate which is not bad, the package then costing $49.95. I wish I had understood all this sooner. All I ever though I needed was a child filter and since the children do not use the computer we were okay! Lynn

-- Lynn (johnnypfc@yahoo.com), May 04, 2002.