Originally from: Farmtalking
                        
Fear of the Internet is common and really quite unnecessary if one is engaged in honest and legal persist!

I have published my name, address, contacts and details about me on the World Wide Web since 2001. Not only on 'Farmtalking.org' but also on other web sites too! Many details and references to me, what I do and have done, can be found on all the major search engines.

I also use 'on-line' banking for as many bills and invoices as possible. I can make individual payments to others, settle accounts and set-up, cancel and control my Direct Debits/Standing Orders on-line myself.

I also receive payments the same way without any difficulty.

If of interest to anyone I use the Eudora e-mail software and have an excellent virus checker and firewall and I use SpyBot daily. You can find out more about them here ¡V

„h Eudora – http://www.eudora.com/index
„h Grisoft's AVG – http://www.grisoft.com/doc/5/lng/us/tpl/tpl01
„h Kerio firewall – http://www.kerio.com/kpf_home.html
„h SpyBot – http://www.safer-networking.org/en/index.html

All are all compatible and Eudora filters all my messages – in and out – including the Junk/Spam e-mails which get automatically deleted. I never delete any of my other e-mails as Eudora also has an excellent ¡¥Search¡¦ facility and info in e-mails can be found easily if it¡¦s there!

I have to be sensible and obey a few 'rules' such as ¡V
„h Make sure my virus checker and firewall are running when I¡¦m on-line, which is automatic, unless I switch them off! „h Both are set receive automatic updates immediately
„h Run Spy Bot daily and check for updates regularly.
„h Never open an e-mail message unless I¡¦m sure who sent it.
„h Never type my personal details into any e-mail that arrives and invites me to do so, even if it appears to come from my bank, e-Bay, PayPal or Nochex! „h Never ¡¥un-subscribe¡¦ to junk e-mails even if invited to do so.

Accidents do happen and Hard Drives fail so I use Orlogix to back-up my PC ¡V „h Orlogix – http://www.orlogix.com/index.php

Which reminds me¡K I better do it now!

It may have taken me time to learn but by using my PC and the Internet safely, it was certainly worth it, saving me time, petrol and postage!

I hope this is helpful and maybe will encourage others to enjoy using the Internet too.