Really useful little page from a survey of users favourite security tools for a variety of platforms produced by http://www.insecure.com. Alot of the tools are OpenSource or free to use and are extremely useful. http://www.insecure.org/tools.html

Well after that last update I found that I hadn’t installed my Anti-Virus software properly and of course within hours of installing everything I caught a particularly nasty trojan and virus. So now a reinstall has fixed it but what a waste of time, needless to say the first thing I installed was anti-virus software and this time the AVG non-commercial licensed version from Grisoft - http://www.grisoft.com/us/us_index.php and I have found it very good so far.. This together with BlackICE firewall is helping, though I still have to bring up my external Smoothwall Firewall.

The time it takes to install Windows XP, then service pack, updates and latest drivers is considerable - it most have taken 2.5 hours just to install the base system how I like it - compare this with a nice distro of linux where it would have installed just about every application and server that you need as well as the update in that time, and you probably would have had time to download all the latest packages aswell if you needed to, makes me wonder where the critiscm for Linux installs comes from. I must admit though I like XP as a desktop OS now, I am used to, I have got it paired down and along with a few tweaks I think it is a very usable system.

There are some little applications that I really like at the moment and I would suggest you give them a try. In no particular order:

• Mozilla Thunderbird
• Any Password
• Mozilla Firefox
• FeedDemon

Well, I have been quite busy, but even so I feel that I have been really neglecting my space here. Anyways I now have my Broadband installed in my new Flat, after much research from the likes of http://www.adslguide.org.uk I have decided to go with Freedom2Surf, as they over a static IP aswell as very reasonable rates..

At the same time I have decided to update my PC and got my hands on a AMD Barton that I will no doubt end up overclocking and some other parts. Initially I had thought that I would try a really cheap http://www.pcchips.com.tw board but what a mistake I think in choosing that - I ended up going down to Tottenham Court Road and buying a board from the very helpful people at yoyotech - And Asus. Can’t really go wrong with that I think and that is what I am typing on now whilst waiting for the damn XP updates from http://www.windowsupdate.com.

Not having Broadband at home as considerably cut short the amount of time I spend on the Internet and also not having a big tv has cut down on the amount of films that I watch which I suppose isn’t that bad a side effect but its quite a change in habit for me I guess

Instead I have been reading the wonderful cooking book by Nigel Slater - Appetite which is more than just a collection of recipes, and trys and succeeds in pointing one towards what really is the crux of food - enjoying it. I must admit alot of what he teaches I have been in agreement with even before taking in the book, namely; good produce at the right time of year compliemented with just the basics can create a fantastic meal. I wholeheartdly recommend this book and others by Nigel Slater (though I have yet to read the drink books he has written).