Netstat : Check what Internet connection you have active.

With Netstat you can check what Internet connections are active on your computer. To start Netstat all you have to do is open the DOS command line on your windows operating system, a black screen window will appear on your monitor. On your Windows it should be in a directory called Accessories, so as soon as you open it it should appear a black screen with a command line waiting for you to introduce a command...

Write "nestat /h" : it will show you all the options available
You'll have a whole list of options:

• "-a" : will show you all the current connections on your computer
• "-a" space "-f" will show you all the connections and eventually URL that they are hooking up with

Now don't get worried, it's normal to have several connections active while you are on the Internet, however, check them carefully, use "-b" to see which programs are using the Internet connection ....

More useful commands:

• "/h" or "-help" : gives you the whole list of options available
• "-b" will show you what programs are using the connections

Open Office

On the Openoffice download you'll find the whole suite which includes Openoffice Writer, Openoffice Calc, Openoffice Impress, Openoffice Base, Openoffice Draw and Openoffice Math.
Although Microsoft Office Word or Microsoft Office, has a complete office suite, it's not an open source. To get office software for free on the Internet, you can check out the openoffice free download site (just write Openoffice on your search box).
Tired of the constant evolution, 2003, 2007, 2XXX versions of the same software. To keep up to date with Microsoft you'll be spending some money, you're probably better off using that money on hardware.
For whom of you who are more familiar with Microsofts Office suite the programs are rather similar, although they are called differently:

• Word is called Writer
• Excel is called Calc
• Powerpoint is called Impress
• Acess is called Base

Openoffice can open any file that has been saved with Microsofts Office suite, and can save it's files in that same format as well. They are very similar programs and most of the functions are more or less in the same place, so you can easily adapt to this software.
The Openoffice team is constantly updating the software so you can expect to see it improving as time goes by, in my honest opinion it's a moneysaver.

Fastest Web Browser

Fastest web browser contests are constantly happening, and the first position is changing frequently. However I recommend you try Mozilla Firefox, it's free and it has a good response to the users needs. Most computers have the Internet Explorer installed an therefore most people stick with it for life, so take a leap of faith and try something new, I imagine that after a few sessions with Firefox you will never go back.
Why I recommend Firefox?

• Has a very fast response, in my opinion superior to Microsofts Internet Explorer;
• It's free to use and updates are constantly available
• More secure: in truth most virus, spyware, adware, malware and other unwanted things out their are design based on the Microsoft Internet Explorer software. I'm not saying you'll be fully secure from all those threats, but you will be exposed to a less quantity of them.
• You can personalize your web-browser to you liking;
• Add-ons, Plug-ins and other special tools are available to use with your Firefox
• It's an opensource software, so the mission of the Firefox team is to build and maintain a efficient web browser, unlike others who have shareholders and interests backing their business

Anti Spyware Software for free

Today I will talk about spyware removal software, an anti spyware free software is available, actually several adware and spyware softwares are free, you just have to look around, my choice for this post is Superantispyware software. Well, the super is just a little off, but it's good and it's free ... :)
Having a good anti-virus software may just be half the solution to your problem, you can find free on-line software that may add extra protection to your computer and your files. I have used Superantispyware free edition and I recommend it as an addition to your anti-virus software. You can download the free edition on their website at superantispyware.com.
Basically, this anti-spyware software comes with the following benefits and features:

• Will detect and remove Adware, Spyware, Malware, Trojans, Dialers, Keyloggers, Worms and many other threats.
• Does customized scanning to your hard drives, removable drives, memory, and registry
• Quarantine
• Gives you a detailed log of actions

You can download a free version for home users, you should try it, and don't be surprised to find threats that your current anti-virus did not detect.
Unfortunately the Internet looks like a very nice place, but underneath very harmful things are happening and we as normal users can't see it coming.
Good luck hope this software can be useful ...