for Dec. 3, 2003

Hi, All;

This week: Less Spam

After my tirade about spam last week, with some help from my publisher and his brother, I have been testing a spam-blocking program.

Intermute, Inc. Software Company in Braintree MA calls it "SpamSubtract." I am very impressed with this program; it is easy to install and works using a "Friends" list that looks at your current address book and adds them to the friends list. Anyone not on the list is put in a review window to be deleted, previewed (in HTML code), sent to the inbox without being added to your friends list, or sent to the inbox and added to your friends list. Also, if the message is larger than 4000 bytes (like having a graphic imbedded, or graphic screen), it is held in the preview window for review. It sells for $29.95 if you purchase it from Intermute and could probably be found cheaper elsewhere.

This is just one anti-spam program. Most anti-virus companies also make anti-spam programs for around the same price.

Also, for those who have Tiger Mountain Tech as your ISP, on November 29, TMT announced they now have a free anti-spam service that their customers can sign up for. As it is new, I have not tried it but will soon.

All of this helps keep your inbox clean, but it does not help the underling issue of spam overloading the Internet. Only a law (a national bill is in Congress at this time-- let your legislators know that you want this bill to pass) or self-policing by the spammers themselves can help that.

'Til next week, (ComputerFAQ#167)

Robert

 

Please send your questions to

Dec. 3, 2003 SpamSubtract, a good way to reduce spam, also other ways

Nov. 26, 2003 Disgusted about Spam

Nov. 19, 2003 How Vulnerable is Your Computer to Data Theft?

Nov. 12, 2003 Safely Deleting Thousands of tmp Files

Nov. 5, 2003 Finding the Windows Search Button & Misc Program Problems

Oct. 29, 2003 How to Print a List of Files

Oct. 22, 2003 Fall Cleanup Part 3

Oct. 15, 2003 Fall Cleanup Part 2

Oct. 8, 2003 Fall Cleaning of Your PC

Oct. 1, 2003 Explanation of DSL

Sept. 24, 2003 Installing DSL at the Shopper

Sept. 17, 2003 What New Computer Should I Buy? Part 2

Sept. 10, 2003 What New Computer Should I Buy?

Sept. 3, 2003 Protecting from Viruses and Worms

Aug. 27, 2003 Current Viruses "Bast Worm" and "Sobig"

Aug. 20, 2003 Does Microsoft Password Make Changing Passwords Easier?

Aug. 13, 2003 Passwords and Passport Part 2

Aug. 6, 2003 More About PassPort and Passwords

July 23 & 30, 2003 Where Are Microsoft Passport Passwords Stored? and More About Passport and Passwords

July 16, 2003 Internet Explorer Helpful Hint Part 2

July 9, 2003 Internet Explorer Helpful Hint Part 1

July 2, 2003 Some More Icons Explained

June 25, 2003 Online Ordering

June 18, 2003 Followup on Refilled Ink Cartridges

 

July 05, 2000 Introduction to ComputerFAQ

July 12, 2000 Computer Definitions

July 26, 2000 More Computer Definitions

August 02, 2000 Defining Bits, Bytes and Hex

August 09, 2000 Internet Service Providers (ISP)

August 16, 2000 Backup up your PC

August 23, 2000 Backup Devices.

August 30, 2000 What is the slowest PC for Internet Access

September 06, 2000 PC Nomenclature

September 13, 2000What to do with Mail Attachements.

September 20, 2000What Happens at boot up

October 04, 2000Desktop Areas

October 18, 2000Start Button

October 25, 2000Display Made Bigger

November 01, 2000 More Monitor Controls

November 15, 2000 Right Click Display Menu

November 22, 2000 More on Desktop Menus

November 29, 2000 More on Desktop Menus

December 06, 2000 Desktop Properties Menu - part 1

December 13, 2000 Desktop Properties Menu - part 2

December 20, 2000 Desktop Properties Menu - part 3