SOFTWARE THAT SETS YOU FREE
FREEDOM
FROM PRYING EYES
If you're connected to the
internet, there are I chances that your browsing habits might be monitored and
tracked by service providers and advertisers, or that you might be spied upon
by hackers. Well, you don't have to be a victim. You can start your bid to
freedom from espionage by nipping it in the bud, and the best way to do it is
to use a secure browser and a search engine... TOR: Arguably the best
pre-configured browser for secure web surfing, Tor protects you by bouncing
your internet communication around a network of relays run by volunteers from
around the world. It is designed to cloak your online activity to prevent
internet spies from learning what sites you visit, and even preventing the
sites you visit from learning your physical location.
After installation, only the web pages visited through Tor will be
routed via its network. Traffic through other installed browsers such as
Chrome, Firefox, Opera and Internet Explorer are not affected. Once you close
the Tor browser window, the complete list of web pages you have visited and all
cookies are also deleted.
Tor is available for Windows, Mac OS X, or Linux, and you can also
run a portable version straight off a USB flash drive.http:www.torproject.org
DUCK DUCK GO:
Unlike most search engines,
Duck Duck Go doesn't track your activity on the internet. Also, since it
doesn't track your behaviour, it does not create a user profile to customize
your search results based on what it thinks you might want to see. In effect,
you get the same search results as everyone else.
Besides, it has custom settings that let you try out different
visual themes, you can configure it to display results that are specific to
your region, and even prevent it from sharing your search with the sites you
visit.http:www.duckduckgo.com
FREEDOM FROM MALWARE
Most of us tend to download software from unknown sources on the
internet. The problem is that some of these come with spyware, add-ons and
toolbars that also get installed.
Malware can also find its way onto your PC via your web browser
from malicious websites.But you can protect yourself from such hack attempts by
installing tools that remove these infections.
MALWARE BYTES:
The free version of this software acts as a second as a second
level of defence on your computer against worms, Trojans, rootkits, rogue ware'
that might have been missed by the anti-virus installed on your computer.
After detecting and re moving the malware, this tool also repairs
the files they damaged. If you opt for Mal ware Bytes' premium version, which
requires a paid subscrip tion, you also get real-time monitoring of your PC
against such hacking techniques.http:www.malwarebytes.org
SPYBOT SEARCH AND
DESTROY:
Alternatively, you can install SpyBot to hunt down and clear
spyware and adware on your machine. This software includes an “immunization“
feature that protects your browser from malicious code, plugins and tracking
cookies that are surreptitiously dropped in your browser's temp folder.
The free version requires you to manually update the software.
Spybot S&D is also available as a portable app that allows you to scan any
Windows machine from a pen drive.http:www.safer-networking.org
FREEDOM FROM SPAM
If you use e-mail, chances are you're plagued by I spam in the
form of newsletters, marketing mailers, and shady missives that promise
financial gain, quick delivery of questionable pills, and even porn
subscriptions. You can now free your inbox of unwanted e-mails by using a
service that unsubscribes you from the mailers you don't read any more and
even consider the use of a temporary e-mail address that you can share online,
or for registering with websites.
UNROLL ME:
This service helps you manage your e-mail subscriptions whether
wanted or unwanted. Sign up with your e-mail ID and Unroll Me scans your inbox
for newsletters, which are then displayed on a web page along with options that
let you choose if you want to unsubscribe; leave the e-mail untouched in your
inbox; or `add to rollup'.
The service unsubscribes you from all the newsletters you opted
out of, while the ones you've added to your `rollup' will come to you in a
single e-mail digest every day in a grid or list layout, as specified by you.
Unroll Me is a neat way to take care of all your newsletters.unroll.me MAIL
DROP: This website lets you create temporary e-mail IDs, which you can use to
register with online services. Simply enter whatever username you want and
click “Go“. You will be taken to your new inbox, without a password. You can
create any number of pseudo IDs; allowing you to keep separate inboxes for
people you'd like to avoid, newsletters and websites. Attachments are discarded
and the inbox is cleared every 24 hours.http:www.maildrop.cc
FREEDOM FROM WEB ADS
Online advertisements in the form of multiple O banners and
Flash-based video panels are not only distracting, but also slow down web
browsing.
Also, it is not a coincidence that third-party websites display
ads of products you have been looking at on e-commerce portals. This is because
multiple web trackers are used by advertisers to collect statistics on the time
you spend on a site, your browsing history, geolocation, clicking patterns,
etc. To escape from the ever increasing commercialization of the internet, you
might want to install and try out ad blockers. ADBLOCK PLUS The AdBlock Plus extension
is available for browsers such as Firefox, Chrome, Opera, Internet Explorer,
Maxthon and even Android devices.
While it blocks advertisements on most websites, you can also
configure it to block certain parts of Facebook (right sidebar where page
suggestions are made, parts of the news feed, upcoming events and more). After
installing AP , visit facebook.adblockplus.me and add the blocker of your
choice. These changes are reversible, so you can disable them at any
time.adblockplus.org ADBLOCK FOR YOUTUBE Available only for the Chrome browser,
this extension knocks out the intro ad that plays before most YouTube videos
and even the ad banners that appear within the clip.chrome.google.comwebstore
GHOSTERY If trackers are being used to keep an eye on your online activities,
then you also have the right to know what is being used to monitor you.
Ghostery available as a browser extension for Firefox, Chrome, Safari and
Opera does exactly that.It detects all the trackers on a website you are on
and gives you the option to disable them individually .http:www.ghostery.com
FREEDOM FROM SLOWDOWNS
Cs tend to slow down after a while. This could P be due to various
factors, including registry entries that have been left behind by uninstalled
programs, temporary internet files and browsing history . When this happens,
you know it's time to free up space on your computer.
CCLEANER:
Keep your machine from getting bogged down with files that get
dumped on it when you install and uninstall software. You can tune up the
computer with CCleaner. This software utility scans and cleans the system of
unused files and system entries. It also frees up space and improves your hard
drive's performance. What's more, this tool is also available in portable form.
http:www.piriform.com ccleaner
Savio D'Souza and Ashutosh Desai
TOI15AUG15
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