Spam proof email addresses

So, you want to sign up for something on a website, they are going to send you a registration key or a password and you don't want to give them your email address for obvious reasons.

www.dodgeit.com is a clever way to deal with that problem. When asked for your email address invent one e.g. freepassword@dodgeit.com. Then go to the website, enter the address and get the email. It is not secure, but it isn't meant to be.

Once you have the info from the email you need never use that email address again. You can also have your RSS reader check for you - very cool!

Spambayes - spambayes.sourceforge.net

Forget the rest, I have finally found what is (for now anyway) the ultimate spam filter.  I won't go into the details of how a bayesian filter works, but it does.  It even overcomes some of the tricks spammers try to use to sneak email past filters.

I have been using it Sept 03 it never has a false positive and very few false negatives.  Now in Jan '06, it is still working exceptionally well. Best of all, its FREE.

AVG Anit Virus - www.grisoft.com

A free anti virus programme that updates itself automatically as well. I trust it.

Spybot Search & Destroy - security.kolla.de

Searches your computer for cookies, spyware, hijackware, etc. etc.  You then immunise your system and it blocks popups and anything bad that would install itself. 

I used it successfully when someone's home page had been hijacked and I could not undo it, even via the registry.  This program works and is also FREE

Microsoft AntiSpyware - www.microsoft.com

This programme is free and available to people with real unpirated versions of Windows. Works well and also has a real-time component to stop browser hijackers and other things installing themselves.

A lot has been said about FireFox recently and its uptake has been significant. Undoubtably someone will find a hole in it some time, but even disregarding the security issues, it is just a better browser with tabbed browsing, extensions and other advantages.