About ComputerSecure.Net

On this page:
(the legalities)

• Disclaimer and disclosure
• Site privacy policy
• Note about cookies and scripts
• Who am I

This site is NOT offering independent reviews and expert evaluations of complex security software. We are not expert enough to provide expert reviews.

Actually, hardly anybody is qualified to properly evaluate computer security software such as anti-spyware programs, anti-virus software and firewalls.

People who are qualified and equipped for serious testing do not usually have sites like this, aimed at explaining security matters simply.

Also they do not usually sell security software. They sell their testing service and their results. They might also sell their badge of quality, their 'mark of approval', if their service is well respected.

This is worth bearing in mind next time you see advertising along the lines of "We tested five top anti-spyware programs: here is the best one."

See our page about rogue programs and unethical advertising to find out more about that kind of thing.

I am just like most people, a computer user who is concerned about security. I have kept myself free of disasters and malware threats for over a decade.

We can all keep ourselves protected online and make the internet a nicer place if we pay some attention to security matters and do something rather than nothing.

If every computer online was using only the basic, free versions of the main security measures (i.e. firewall, anti-spyware, anti-virus), that alone would make it much, much harder for malware to spread.

This site is supported from advertising and commissions. We make an effort to ensure any ads here are related to PC security issues.

Some advertising here is placed automatically: we make an effort to filter or block ads from any known 'rogue' brands. That is, software that is known to be poor quality or to use misleading advertising or other unethical tactics.

What I am talking about here is 'rogue programs'. You can find out about that on our information page about rogue programs (and the unethical advertising that is used to sell them).

When you see links to products and software tools on this site you should know that we might have a commercial relationship with the seller.
Of course we will recommend only reputable software, whether it is commercially sold or free.

Privacy Policy:

This is simple:

We don't particularly want your email address.

You can feel free to email us if the site is not working properly or links are broken.

But we are not wanting to build a list of users, or sell anything by email.

Legal bit:
In the event that we might get to know your email address we will not give, sell or rent it to any other party.
We will not bother you with unsolicited advertising by email.

Cookies
You may get some cookies while visiting this site or sites we link to. At most sites that carry advertising or have something available for sale, cookies will be placed in your browser cache.
Cookies like this are generally harmless and not considered an invasion of privacy.
Of course some aggressive advertisers are known to use cookies that are an invasion of privacy – and that is exactly why sites like computersecure exist.

What's a Cookie?
If you are relatively new to the internet you may not know what a cookie is. This Wikipedia article is a good explanation, but may be too much information.
Unfortunately, although I have tried, I have not been able to come up with a better explanation that is both brief and still useful.

Scripts
There are some scripts on these web pages.
It is safe to turn javascript on for this site. The scripts here are for boring things such as to show the menus, show the the date, and so that Google Analytics can show me a count of how many visitors come here.
If you have no idea what we are talking about – if you don't know what it means to say that a script is being run on a web page – you can learn more on our page about browsers and safe surfing.

Who am I?

I understand that some people think we website owners should publish on our sites our real names and addresses and photos of ourselves and all our kin – in the interests of being entirely open and credible. In fact, I believe that this is now required by law in Britain.
However (I'm not in Britain) I won't be doing that because:

• I am an extremely private person – a hermit at heart (although I do have a large family. Also I live on a busy intersection, by mistake). It's because I value privacy that I care about the idea of keeping our computers secure and private.
• Did you see the explosion of spam in 2006?

I get loads of spam just from having this site. For some reason the spams are mostly about Viagara.

Anyway, you can email me here.

Instead of a photograph of myself I offer this delightful, heart-warming description: I look a bit like Santa Claus, right down to the large white beard, white hair, round glasses and large fat stoma... I mean large family.

What do I even know about it anyway?
I use my computers all day every day for my work. As a result of my worries about security I eventually, in 2005, switched to Linux.
I do believe that changing from a Microsoft Windows system to a Linux or Mac is a great security solution. However I know that most computer users are not interested in the 'learning curve' that appears when changing to a completely different operating system. (Also, nearly everyone uses some Windows programs that are their favourites, or most convenient, or that they just cannot do without.)
For me learning more about computer security is a necessity. I used to have one computer connected to the internet by dial-up and maybe another older one that the children could use for playing games.
But now I need two computers on my desk, one using Linux and one with XP Professional, and two to four other computers in the house – all on the internet with the home network and ADSL router. Now, I need to add a further wireless router and more computers to the system.
At present the main thing I know about wireless connections is that we need to be sure the transmissions are encrypted – there is always more to learn.
The point here is that we can easily get (or have thrust upon us) all this technology – but we often get the technology before we understand it properly or understand how to use it securely.

My impression is that, for the new generation of computer users, having a computer and internet access is like owning a television and enjoying the entertainment.
I don't see it like that. To me, having a computer and an internet connection is more like owning a car.

• Because:
• If you don't maintain it, it will break.
• If you don't understand how it works, you will very probably break it yourself.
• If you use it recklessly, you affect, and possibly harm, other people.

For example, you wouldn't give your car keys to a drunk stranger (or even a drunk friend). Similarly you would probably not leave you car unlocked with the keys in it.
Somebody could either take everything from inside it – maybe your wallet and credit card – or even completely destroy it while endangering other drivers.
It's the same with your computer: you do not want some stranger taking control of it.
They could take everything from inside it.
They could use it to help send spam, or attack other computers or internet servers: that is like giving your car to a criminal or a vandal.