Free Browser & Email Software

For a good overview of what spam is, why and how they do it:

Simply put, MailWasher allows you to preview and delete emails on the server before you download them to your computer with your email client.

Use this spam blocker software to effectively stop email spam. Discover the safe way to stop unwanted e-mails before they get to your computer. No gimmicks here, it is so easy to set up and use that you'll be managing your email like a pro in seconds. It can even be used as an effective privacy tool. Add addresses to friends or the blacklist, and they'll be automatically listed with either a red or green indicator. If you're fed up of having to trawl through your in-box just to find your 'proper' emails, then after a short while you'll start to notice the time and effort this little program can save you.

The video demonstration below is for the 'Pro' version, but the interface is so similar, that it still gives a good overview.

Ever sent an email and wondered if the recipient has recieved or opened it? Now you no longer need wonder if your email is viewed at its destination, MSGTAG lets you know. Controlled from a small icon in your system tray, you can easily turn tagging on or off for certain messages.

MsgTag works alongside your existing email client, so that you don't have to change the way you compose or send your messages. You get sent an email notification when your mail is received and viewed. Email receipts tell you the date and time the message was sent, the date and time that it was opened, and how long it has been in between.

MsgTag works on all popular email clients including Outlook, Outlook Express, Incredimail, Netscape Mail, Eudora and Pegasus Mail (I'm not sure about Thunderbird ... can anyone enlighten me?). It's entirely automatic with no irritating popup windows. All the recipient sees is a small MSGTAG footer at the end of each email.

Tabbed browsing, popup blocker, intergrated search, and support for plugins makes it extremely expandable. If you are looking for a safer alternative to use than Microsoft's IE, then you wont go far wrong with this (or Opera for that matter!).

Alternative to: Microsoft Internet Explorer

Currently my Internet browser of choice, Opera has just so many useful features and is quite configureable. It also includes an email client, irc client, bit torrent client, transfer manager, password manager, popup blocking, and more. It supports skins, tabbed browsing, and its own widget system. Yet for all this it is not 'bloated' at around 6Mb for the full install, and is still resposive to use.

Opera is one of the oldest and therefore most 'mature' internet browsers around, and is packed with features. I highly recommend you give it a try ... it may take a short while to get used to using it, but once you have, you never know, you may never go back to your old browser again!

Alternative to: Microsoft Internet Explorer

Thunderbird helps you to sort, organise, and find your vital information, secure and protect your email. It allows you to customise your email to suit your own specific needs, it even supports add-ons similar to Firefox, which can help you get more from this great program. Used in conjunction with the Sunbird Calendar application it makes a great alternative for MS Outlook.

The next version of Thunderbird (v.3.0) will include 'Lightening' which will be a fully built-in calendar and scheduling component.

Alternative to: Microsoft Outlook

MozBackup is a simple utility for creating backups of Firefox, Thunderbird, SeaMonkey, Mozilla Suite and Netscape. It's definitely the easy way to backup all your important data from the above two programs - Firefix and Thunderbird. I've also used this to transfer my data from one computer to another, so that I could have the saem bookmarks list and contacts etc.

Magic Mail Monitor is a free POP3 mail monitor with multiple accounts support. It sits silently in your system tray, and notifies you about new messages in your mailboxes. Then you can preview messages and delete unwanted mail in order to avoid spam and viruses. It also has configurable filters, friends list and other tools to help you fight spam, save time, or band width.

Because web browsers and email clients are often down to an individuals needs or preferences, I have included another full email client. In their own words; "Pegasus Mail is a free, standards-based electronic mail client suitable for use by single or multiple users on single computers or on local area networks. A proven product, it has served millions of users since it was released in 1990. It is extremely feature-rich and powerful, yet remains small and fast". I have never personally used or tested this client, but am assured by trusted friends who have, that it is definitely one of the best there is.

Personally I rarely use Internet Explorer 7, but for those that do IE7Pro is a useful addon. It has better management of tabbed browsing, spell checking, supports user plugins, advert and flash blocking, drag and drop, and more. You can also customise Internet Explorer or how your favorite webpage looks!