Recommended Software
Every computer connected to the Internet should absolutely have three pieces of software: a firewall, anti-virus and an up-to-date web browser. Two other valuable pieces of software are spam filtering software and spyware/adware detection and removal software. Here is the software we use and recommend with one caveat. Since we only use PCs and don't use Macs our recommendations for Mac software is simply based upon our experience with the software's Windows counterpart.
Firewall Software
If you were to buy only two pieces of software for your computer, a firewall MUST be one of them. An Internet connect computer without a firewall is a sitting duck just waiting to be attacked. Hackers not only attack computers for what is on them, but to commandeer the computer turning it into a "Zombie" to carry out coordinated attacks on yet other computers. If you connect your computer to the Internet and don't protect it by a firewall, rest assured that in due course it will be compromised.
ZoneAlarm Pro
ZoneAlarm is the only firewall we recommend. There are many firewalls on the market including one built into Windows XP, however, none equal ZoneAlarm. In addition the firewall built-in to Windows XP is wholly inadequate. There are two versions of ZoneAlarm a free version and a "Pro" version which costs $39.95. From a pure firewall protection standpoint both versions are equal, however, ZoneAlarm Pro also has the ability to block popups and provides protection against malice e-mail attachments being received by a computer and prevents the computer from spreading viral payloads if it should become infected.
Operating systems supported:
Windows XP, Vista
Anti-Virus Software
Anti-virus software is the second must have piece of software. It is extremely probable that any computer that does not have up-to-date anti-virus software and is used for Web browsing or e-mail will become infected with a virus, trojan or worm if it hasn't already.
Avast! antivirus
Avast! antivirus is our choice for antivirus software. It has a wide arrange of licensing options including a free version for home users.
Operating Systems Supported
Windows 98, ME, 2000 Pro, XP, Vista
Spyware/Adware Detection and Removal Software
Any computer that is connected to the Internet has the potential to end up with spyware, adware or scumware (a.k.a. malware) installed on it unintentionally. This is especially true in homes with children who have access to the computer.
Spyware is software that reports your computer activities back to some third-party. This could be as simply as simply tracking your Internet surfing habits to as egregious as recording every keystroke made on your computer and transmitting this information to a third party.
Adware is software that gets installed along with "free" software and then causes ads (especially pop-up ads) to be displayed while one is surfing the Internet or using the computer. Commonly these programs get installed on a computer when peer-to-peer music swapping software such as Kazza is installed.
Scumware is very similar to adware except that it actively works at stealing advertising revenues from websites. This is either done by replacing the ads on a website with different ads, or co-opting the advertisements on webpages such that if one clicks on or purchases something through the link, instead of the website publisher getting paid a commission the creator of the scumware gets that commission. The harm is that this literally steals advertising revenue from your favorite websites that is necessary for to be able to provide you with content free of charge.
Windows Defender
Windows Defender Windows Defender is a free program that helps you stay productive by protecting your computer against pop-ups, slow performance and security threats caused by spyware and other potentially unwanted software.
Operating Systems Supported
Windows XP, Vista
Web Browser Software
While our favorite web browser is Mozilla Firefox, what we really recommend is that you always use is the most current version of your favorite browser. We have used and test websites we develop against the Windows version of all Web browsers on this list.
Firefox (Open Source)
Firefox has become our primary web browser since we first discovered it in early 2004. Firefox is the award winning preview of Mozilla's next generation browser. Firefox empowers you to browse faster, more safely, and more efficiently than with any other browser. Make the switch today--Firefox imports your Favorites, settings and other information, so you have nothing to lose. With Firefox, popup ads and serendipitously aquired spyware and adware will be a thing of the past.
Operating systems supported
Windows 95, 98, ME, NT4.0, 2000, XP, Vista; Mac OS X; Linux; Solaris SPARC, x86; HPUX; AIX; OS/2
Lynx (Text only browser, Open Source)
Lynx is the most popular text only Web browser. While most users would not enjoy this, it is very useful for testing a Web site for compatibility with how it may render for individuals using brail readers etc. Nearly all operating systems are supported, the trick is finding the version you need and if you can't find a compiled version for your OS, then you can download the source code and compile it yourself.
Operating systems supported
Almost all OSs (one might have to search for their version)
Microsoft Internet Explorer (MSIE)
Microsoft Internet Explorer (MSIE) is the 800 pound gorilla in the browser market. The odds are you already have it on your computer and are using it right now. Windows users of MSIE 5 & 6 can update their browsers by clicking on "Tools" on the menu bar and then selecting "Windows Update". We strongly encourage users to take advantage of this on a regular basis.
SECURITY NOTICE (2004-09-23): Microsoft has announced that it will no longer provide the latest security updates for MSIE running on anything other than Windows XP or Windows 2003 server. This means that if you are running a pre-WinXP version of Windows and want to keep your web browser secure, you will either need to buy a WinXP upgrade, or switch to an alternative web browser like Mozilla Firefox which is free.
Operating systems supported
Windows XP, 2003 Server, Vista
Opera
Opera proclaims itself as the fastest web browser on the market. Opera uses less memory and less disk space on your hard drive than competing browser applications, which is great for slower or older computers. Opera's download is as small as 4.6mb compared to nearly 30mb for Netscape 7 or up to 75mb for MSIE 6) It is very customizable with some great options that can be changed on the fly like: accepting or rejecting popups; enabling or disabling cookies; and enabling or disabling various multimedia settings. Opera is available for a very wide array of operating systems including Nokia, Psion and Sony Ericsson cell phones.
Operating systems supported
Windows 2000, XP, Vista, Mac OS/X, Linux, FreeBSD, Solaris. Opera is also available for a wide range of hand held devices.
Safari
Safari marks Apple Computer's entry into the Web browser market and is the reason why Microsoft has discontinued development of MSIE for the Mac platform..Safari is also the browser used on the iPhone making it a critical browser to test websites against.
Operating systems supported
Mac OS X 10.3+, Windows XP, 2003 Server, Vista
[Last updated: 2009-05-30]
Copyright 2003 - 2009 Kenneth L. Barbalace
