Want to Keep Your History Clean? Hire a maid for your hard drive!

Doing a thorough internet history clean can be more of a pain than scraping out ten years of collected cobwebs. Fortunately, for novices like me, technology for keeping history clean is more efficient than a broom and much cheaper than hiring a maid!

You might wonder why you should regularly perform a history clean on your browser and hard drive. The answer is simple. Both your browser and Microsoft Windows store information on your hard drive every time you browse the Internet for facts or fun. This data is called history. History is good for several reasons. First, it makes your surfing experience much more convenient by storing sites you have recently searched, allowing you to go forward or back ? much like turning the pages of a book. It can also store login, and registration information on various sites, speeding up your usage.

The problem is this. If you are like most other computer users, you don't use the internet specifically for one task, or to search consistently for the same information. For instance, say a year ago you searched for the migratory habits of emus for a term paper. That information (unless you've done a history clean since then) is still stored on your hard drive. You may never use those facts again, but every time you use a search or utility program on your computer, files about flightless Australian birds confront your operating system. This can significantly slow down your computer after time. Browsers do have settings that allow internet history files to only take up a certain amount of your hard drive space (10% is the default), but even with these settings files add up.

Another reason to regularly use a history clean is to protect your personal privacy. Perhaps you don't want anyone to know about the emus, or more likely, perhaps you don't want just anyone viewing your credit report. Any files that you browse or download on your computer are available for viewing in places like your browser history folder. If you don't use history clean, anyone can sit down at your PC and see exactly what you've been doing online.

There are several ways to keep history clean off your drive, but unfortunately, most are not terribly effective. The delete function built into Internet Explorer merely deletes file tags, and schedules the files for over write by your hard drive -- eventually. That's like leaving vital information on a silver platter. The most effective method for history clean is to use software specifically designed for the purpose, such as Privacy Guardian. This software is efficient, inexpensive, easy to use, and allows you to select which history you'd like to delete.

Useless history on emus can readily be deleted, while maintaining other settings ? keeping the Internet easy to use, and your hard drive clean. History cleaners do more than just delete file tags, they actually bleach the sectors of your hard drive, freeing up your operating system and your valuable drive space. Additionally, good history clean software usually performs other functions.

For example, Privacy Guardian provides plug-ins to clean software like Kazaa, ICQ, and iMesh. Keeping your history clean is not only necessary, it's rewarding. In fact, a history clean helps your computer run more smoothly, your Internet move faster, and protects your privacy. Say goodbye to ancient emu history files, and hello to a more organized computer!

PC Tools Links

• Privacy Guardian

  Powerful privacy software to erase online Internet tracks and program activity.

  Privacy Guardian is a safe and easy-to-use privacy protection tool that securely deletes online Internet tracks and program activity records that are stored in your browser and other hidden files on your computer.

• Return to Online Privacy Insight