A few interesting articles.....

From PC Pro : XP SP2 passes security experiment

A rather "duh" article from USA Today entitled, "Unprotected PCs can be hijacked in minutes".

From IT Observer, one titled, "HP Looking to Ward off Viruses."

And finally, from PCWorld, "Lycos Antispam Screensaver Draws Fire"

weather.com - weather at the Freeware Outpost

weather at the Freeware Outpost

Thunderbird for OE

I love the various Lockergnome.com newsletters, and an article in a recent edition of the Windows Fanatics is version entitled Switching to Thunderbird is a very good and timely piece to read.

This one is especially for my friend PearyLime.

Stinger (specific anti virus freeware tool)

McAfee provides a free anti virus tool called STINGER that is a good secondary tool to detect and remove specific viruses.
It currently is at version 2.4.5.1

As stated on McAfee's website, "It is not a substitute for full anti-virus protection, but rather a tool to assist administrators and users when dealing with an infected system.", but that having been said it is worth having for certain instances, and it IS freeware.

free image editor called Enhance

Image Enhance is a very basic but handy graphics tool for applying a number of graphics enhancements to images. Not a fancy proggie loaded with bells and whistles - but does the job.
This is one I used a few years back and just remembered about it and thought I'd share it with those that may not have known about it.

Like ALL freeware I list (after using**), it is real freeware - NO ads, NO time limits, NO hidden malware, NO demands for anything from the proggie, just that you enjoy it and hopefully share with others about it and about what REAL freeware is.

(**beware sites that list freeware without testing it and using it FIRST. For they'll never be able to say anything about the software, other than it is supposedly 'freeware'. Such sites do not really respect either the freeware authors or you, the end user)

Cheers......

Alcohol facts, informations and such at drinkaware.co.uk

*thanks(?) to spedder's son* for sharing this one with me.

Yahoo, Google, Yahoo, Google.......

Your Own Web at Yahoo 'My Web' from Techtree.com

Yahoo works to outflank Google in the search battle.

Top spyware threats?

Top spyware threats as determined by Webroot.com?

Don't know that I agree with their "top" threats, but you decide.

Free Undelete (freeware proggie)

Handy freeware utility that allows you to recovers deleted files and lost data.

IE-SPYAD (to add some protection to IE)

IE-SPYAD: (author's concise descriptive) "IE-SPYAD adds a long list of sites and domains associated with known advertisers, marketers, and crapware pushers to the Restricted sites zone of Internet Explorer. Once you merge this list of sites and domains into the Registry, the web sites for these companies will not be able to use cookies, ActiveX controls, Java applets, or scripting to compromise your privacy or your PC while you surf the Net. Nor will they be able to use your browser to push unwanted pop-ups, cookies, or auto-installing programs on your PC."

So, IF you so choose to use Internet Explorer, this is well worth utilizing.

CLSID BHOList ToolbarList (from CastleCops.com)

CastleCops - CLSID BHOList ToolbarList
Regularly updated list that is another worthwhile 'bookmark' to add.

Treepad Lite (freeware proggie)

Treepad Lite : freeware Personal database, PIM, organizer, notes manager, text editor and search engine.

CastleCops - StartupList

CastleCops - StartupList
Bookmark this one!
It details exactly what various startup programs do and are all about.

Google Goo??

Google Goo
Google sells something called 'Google Goo'........
Well at least that proves that technology isn't being wasted, right?

Quote from Albert Einstein

'Technological progress is like an axe in the hands of a pathological criminal.'

PlacesTweaker* (*freeware) from iolsland.com

No brainer freeware for tweaking/customizing your 'placesbar'

This developer also has two other freeware offerings - 'ClearTweak' and 'RAMTweak'

Microsoft PowerToys for Windows XP

Microsoft PowerToys for Windows XP
No comment necessary...just as the title states...these are powertoys for Win XP

Proxy Resources for Anonymous Surfing

Proxy Resources for Anonymous Surfing
Very good primer about proxies.

I posted this one especially for Jen.

The Dangers of Desktop Search- Google Tool as Spyware

The Dangers of Desktop Search- Google Tool as Spyware
A very unbiased, honest and thought provoking piece from Spywareguide.com

Just what I know....

My freeware listings are NOT huge and only list freeware that I myself have tried and found to be useful for me.
So though my listings aren't voluminous - they are honest and reliable, meaning I can speak from experience about the freeware I list.
For it IS freeware, without exception.

Many sites only see their 'purpose' as touting their thousands of listings, which tells you right there, that they couldn't possibly vouch for that many programs from personal testing.
Think about it.....

I do this as a pastime, not as a job, as an 'obsession' or to gain "fame and fortune", just simply because I enjoy it.