A personal Wiki by Geof C. Duncan. Computer Teacher (and Geek) at Knightdale High School. To be used in Mr. Duncan's classes during the inevitable spyware & software discusssions. If you don't like what you see here, or can't appreciate my advice. Then, feel free to ignore it.
What is a Wiki?? (I knew you'd ask) See this link. 
Antivirus Software
If you don't have Antivirus software OR if you've let the subscription on the McAffee or Norton Antivirus that came with your PC lapse, then your computer is in real danger of a virus and/or being taken over by an intruder. However, you do have some FREE options.
AVG Free Edition for Windows
Used and loved by millions (literally). This is by far the most recommended free antivirus solution. If you don't want to pay then this is probably where you will end up. You may need to manually install any virus updates first from here.
avast! 4Home Edition
Those people who don't recommend AVG probably recommend avast! 'Nuff said. Manual updates available from here.
ClamWin Free Antivirus
To be thorough I'm also including ClamWin. This an excellent alternative for a Linux box, but there is one major drawback to this software that must be mentioned on a MS Window's box. From ClamWin's site:
"Please note that ClamWin Free Antivirus does not include an on-access real-time scanner, that is, you need to manually scan a file in order to detect a virus or spyware. Microsoft Outlook Addin, however will delete a virus-infected attachment automatically."
AntiSpyware Solutions
Spyware (or better termed Malware) has become a HUGE problem for the home PC user. Part of the problems stem from the way users surf. DON'T CLICK POP-UP ADS, DON'T DOWNLOAD NON-REPUTABLE SOFTWARE. See also "Prevent Spyware" from Dell.com. Whatever you call this software, it can be either annoying or dangerous.
There are some very good FREE antispyware solutions, but, there are also some "rogue" antispyware solutions out there as well. No solution is perfect and no one piece of software will remove all spyware. Using a combination of products will usually fix what ails your computer.
My advice to anyone who asks is to try using the following three programs to remove/prevent spyware. If these three solutions don't solve your spyware problems, either reformat and reinstall your Operating System or take the computer to a professional.
Windows Defender
This is the official SpyWare removal and prevention tool from Microsoft. Provided you are using a LEGAL copy of Windows 2000 or Windows XP. There is probably no better way to remove MOST of the spyware out there today. Now, I'm not a huge fan of everything Microsoft does, but, if you're using XP then you should be using this software, period.
Spybot S&D
This is one of the oldest and most-used spyware removal tools. A great product and I tend to use this first when malware is already on the computer from Safe Mode. If a computer already has malware, it should be taken off the Internet immediately and should only be reconnected to the Internet after the malware has been removed. This is one of the only spyware removal tools which will work in Safe Mode. You may need to manually update the definitions from here.
Ad-Aware SE Personal
Another excellent tool to remove malware if it's already on the computer. Again should be used with the computer offline if it already has malware. Manual updates are available here.
Secretmaker
I've never actually used this product, but, it comes well recommended. This may be useful for those individuals who may still be running Windows Me or Windows 9x.
Personal Firewall Software
A firewall is the last defense against malware and hackers. Every computer connected to the Internet should have one. Especially if that computer is a laptop which connects to public access points through wireless connections. Windows XP Service Pack 2 included a firewall that is adequate for most users. However, most computer professionals recommend an alternative to the Windows Firewall. Only one firewall software should be used per computer.
Comodo Free Firewall
I've recently switched my own personal firewall to Comodo. ZoneAlarm (below) is a great firewall, but, they are always trying to get people to upgrade... annoying. Comodo also makes other free products including a free Antivirus as well.
ZoneAlarm
One of the most recommended personal firewalls. Easy to use. Be aware that when installing you will have to allow a lot of programs in the beginning. Eventually, ZoneAlarm will learn which programs are safe to allow access to the Internet.
Agnitum Outpost Firewall
I've never used this either, but, again comes highly recommended.
Web Browsers
When Microsoft introduced the new Internet Explorer 7, they came a long way in allowing their users a much safer browsing experience. However, using an alternative web browser is one way to prevent malware infections. There are a variety of alternatives, but, the most popular are presented below:
Firefox
Rediscover the web.
Opera
Better browsing. Feel free.
SeaMonkey
All-in-one Internet application suite. Web-browser, advanced e-mail and newsgroup client, IRC chat client, and HTML editing made simple -- all your Internet needs in one application.
Maxthon
Maxthon is a browser that is built on the same technologies that Internet Explorer uses which means it is essentially a clone of IE and is just as susceptible to malware and viruses as Internet Explorer. However it does incorporate a lot of really cool features from other alternative browsers. I am using this browser when I HAVE to use Internet Explorer on a particular site.
Additional Essential Software
Windows is a great Operating System, but, it lacks some things. Below is a list of FREE legal software which might help.
OpenOffice.org
A free office suite. If your computer did not come with Microsoft Office, this suite can open and save Word documents, Excel spreadsheets, and PowerPoint presentations. A real life saver for those who don't want to spend $400 or more on Office.
FOSS (Free and Open Source Software)
A variety of free software is available on the Internet to make Windows more useful. The sources are numerous and waaay too many to list. I usually read magazines like MaximumPC or visit blogs like Lifehacker for recommendations. Other sources include compilations like:
TheOpenCD.org
Trinidad and Tobago Computer Society's OSSWIN CD
Software for Starving Students
I want a Freeware Utility to ... 300+ common problems solved.
A list of free (not necessarily FOSS) software. Looks like it's constantly updated.
Open Source Freeware : 400+ free applications and utilities
A list of Open Source software from above.
Games
My students never play games.... yeah, right. The sites below are reputable solutions for free games.
Games1.org
Digg.com has featured many of the most addictive flash games that are out there. After playing them once and then trying to find them again I decided it would be nice to have them all in one easy to find place. The "best" arcade games that have been featured on the front page of Digg.com are below. Here you go, enjoy!
101 Free Games: The Best Free Games on the Web from 1UP.com
Just because I know you want to know...
