All-in-One Secretmaker 4.2.3

[JodyWood]

Has anyone had any experience with this program? What are your thoughts on the program?

All-in-One Secretmaker 4.2.3
http://www.download.com/All-in-One-S...0.html?tag=pop (Download)
http://www.secretmaker.com/ (Publisher site)

Thanks,
Jody Wood

[fink]

I haven't previously heard of it. It isn't listed anywhere as rogue antispyware which is the first thing I look for. And doing a general search for it on google gets a lot of hits of it being mentioned by well known computer type websites.. all positively.

The one thing I'd be a bit concerned about is that it does a lot of things. Not a bad thing but from my past experience with some utilities sometimes trying to do too much may not be the best approach.. having said that none of what I've read about it suggests that this is true in this case.

I don't see any problem in trying it for a while and seeing how it works. Make a backup of your system or a restore point before you install it as a normal precaution.

[HAN]

I haven't heard of it either. I would be very cautious loading it. It makes some very big claims. If it were that good, it would be more well known. Certainly to some of us here that look/surf for exactly that kind of thing...

[JodyWood]

I am taking it cautious in using or even recommending this program as you mention, which is why I am in search of more information here to see who knows what about it. Thanks for the feedback thus far. I hope someone knows more. I am always cautious of downloading and using new programs these days - you have to be very careful there or you might wind up paying for it in many different ways.

I do find it interesting to see this on the www.download.com site regarding this program:
Downloads: 12,830,796

That is a pretty large number, so someone has to know something about it, right?

For what this program claims to do, are there other programs that you recommend to cover these aspects?

Thanks,
Jody Wood

[HAN]

There are lots of different ways to accomplish what SecretMaker says it does. I admit that not many other programs claim to do it all in one program. And not all are free. That said, a few thoughts...

Current, up-to-date email programs can filter spam. Most up-to-date browsers can now filter popups (though IE can't in older Windows versions like ME and 98SE.) There are several safe, well known cookie and history cleaners. Executable and worm blockers and such should already be covered by a good antivirus. The Privacy Protector thing mentioned in SECRETMAKER is IMO, overblown. (In my opinion, knowing your IP address, MAC address and such does not take away your privacy. I feel it takes more than that.)

As for a few specifics, any of the well known anti-adware/spyware programs are excellent. Ad-Aware, Spybot Search & Destroy, Microsoft AntiSpy (for XP and 2k) are some of the freebies out there. CrapCleaner is well thought of as a free cookie and history cleaner. (Use it wisely.)

My bottom line feeling has been and remains that if one follows a common sense approach and does what one should anyway, i.e., surfing reasonably carefully (when possible, surfing as a Limited User for XP; no illegal P2P; not clicking willy nilly on just any link one comes across), using licensed software, running a reputable antivirus, a reputable firewall and completing the occasional manual scan with tools like Ad-Aware and such, there is no need for other add-ons such as SecretMaker.