Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable a.. Video: 4 More Must-Have Computer Downloads 4 More Must-Have Computer Downloads POSTED: 2:45 pm CDT July 15, 2008 UPDATED: 6:03 pm CDT July 15, 2008 There are four simple downloads that could make your computer run better = and keep your personal information safe at no cost.=20 "The default setting protects against adult content, security threats, = illegal stuff," said Michelle Reopel of Dragonware Computers.=20 Reopel is talking about the free parental control program offered by = Blue Coat's K9 Web Protection. =20 Parents can set up K9 so it blocks your kids from certain sites, or all = sites during certain hours.=20 "You can make it a complete lockdown. You can make it minimal. You can = make it where the only thing it does is track where they've gone," said = Phillip Reopel of Dragonware Computers.=20 The second download is great for people who want word processing = software but don't want to spend any money on it.=20 "If you're a Windows user, you could buy Microsoft Office and pay $150 = or more, or you could just go here and download Open Office. It has = basically the same programs, except they're free," Phillip Reopel said.=20 KMBC's Kris Ketz reported that Open Office programs look almost exactly = like Microsoft programs, but they are called different things. Word is = Writer, Excel is Calc and PowerPoint is Impress. Users can even = configure Open Office to save work as a Word, Excel, or PowerPoint file = so other people can open the files even if they don't have the free = program.=20 Phillip Reopel said the only downside is the learning curve.=20 "To learn a new product takes time. But there are a lot of government = agencies switching over to Open Office strictly because of money," = Phillip Reopel said.=20 The third download you may want to try is the Web browser Mozilla = Firefox, especially if you don't like Internet Explorer.=20 "Firefox has the pop-up protection. Many people think it works better = than Internet Explorer's pop-up protection," Phillip Reopel said.=20 Firefox also has tab browsing, which lets you toggle between several Web = pages on the same screen -- a feature not offered by older versions of = Internet Explorer.=20 But Reopel said that the myth that Firefox is so secure you don't need = any other computer protection is just that -- a myth.=20 Finally, there's a program some people have, but not everyone -- Adobe's = Acrobat Reader, which lets users open PDF files.=20 "Major companies like to use PDF files because you can't edit them. = They're like a master document," Phillip Reopel said.=20 So if you're preparing tax forms, reading a contract or downloading = instruction manuals, you'll be glad to have it.=20 Ketz reported that some people will love the downloads, others might = not. The best part is that if you don't like a program, get rid of it. = It didn't cost you a thing.=20 a.. Blue Coat's K9 Protection=20 a.. Open Office=20 a.. Mozilla Firefox=20 a.. Adobe Acrobat Reader=20 Previous Story:=20 a.. July 14, 2008: 4 Must-Have Computer Downloads=20 Copyright 2008 by KMBC.com Brandie and the cats! -- Binary/unsupported file stripped by Ecartis -- -- Type: image/gif -- File: storytools_newsvine.gif -- Binary/unsupported file stripped by Ecartis -- -- Type: image/gif -- File: storytools_delicious.gif -- Binary/unsupported file stripped by Ecartis -- -- Type: image/gif -- File: storytools_digg.gif -- Binary/unsupported file stripped by Ecartis -- -- Type: image/gif -- File: storytools_facebook.gif -- Binary/unsupported file stripped by Ecartis -- -- Type: image/gif -- File: storytools_reddit.gif -- Binary/unsupported file stripped by Ecartis -- -- Type: image/gif -- File: storytools_rss.gif -- Binary/unsupported file stripped by Ecartis -- -- Type: image/gif -- File: storytools_print.gif -- Binary/unsupported file stripped by Ecartis -- -- Type: image/gif -- File: storytools_email.gif To subscribe or to leave the list, or to set other subscription options, go to www.freelists.org/list/real-eyes