(Here is a new place to get many of the files listed in this article and much more here.)

You want to keep that data you have safe. I know, I do too.
Recently I had a serious issue with my laptop and I started freaking out because all of my writing is on it. I have 10 years of professional IT experience now and I have learned a few things along the way.

So here are 5 solutions everyone should have to help keep their data safe.

1) Anti-Virus software

Yes, everyone says you need this and it's important. I agree wholeheartedly because there are people out there who are randomly malicious and develop programs and viruses that will damage whatever they touch. So the first program you need is anti-virus to keep these from doing damage and maintain your data integrity.

Where do you get it and how much is it?

There are numerous options for AV software. Personally I use AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition and have been using it for several years without a single problem. The free version is slightly limited in the scheduling department but I just have it run once a week or run it on occasion just to be sure everything is ok. You can get it from the Grisoft website.

Another option for free AV software is Avast!. There are again multiple levels and options but the home edition is free with the option to pay to upgrade. I know some people here in the Czech Republic that use it and like it. More information can be found here.

2) Spyware/Adware removal program

Spyware is a program that keeps track of what you do on the web or worst case scenario in other facets of your computing life. Adware watches where you go on the internet and specifically targets ads at you.

They are usually not extremely harmful but if you value your privacy or want to see fewer ads then you need a program to handle this stuff.

I use Spybot Search and Destroy. Catchy title hey?
Anyway, it runs when I want it to or I can run it in advanced mode. It will scan the necessary files and show you a list of what's there. It can also immunize your computer from over a thousand pieces of spy/adware effectively stopping them from ever installing onto your computer. It's small, quick and free. You can get more information from the website.

Another popular program with IT people is Ad-aware from Lavasoft. I have not looked at it in a long time but it used to be free though it might not be so now.

3) A Firewall.

For the less computer savvy a firewall is even more important and sometimes difficult to understand and configure. Essentially it blocks all network traffic that could be harmful or that you did not specifically authorize.

The standard built-in firewall for Windows XP is passive. It does not actively do much except block non-user-initiated network traffic. But it still doesn't prevent programs from running on your machine and then accessing internet possibly allowing a malicious user to access your system and data. You can read more about it here.

Again this is a market that has many free options. My personal suggestion is Zone Alarm which has done a fantastic job for me over the years. There is still a free version and the help is useful in getting things setup. You can get it here.

Comodo makes a free personal firewall as well though I have never used it. You can read more about it here.

4) A Backup solution

In case of a catastrophic system failure you need your data to be redundant. That means you need to keep it in another location other than the computer itself. If the computer is stolen or irreparably damaged you are then safe and secure knowing that you have the data elsewhere. Backup strategies are as abundant as excuses. I will give you some ideas as to what I do.

The easiest of all backup solutions is to pack up all your important data and email to yourself. I use Quickzip to archive my writing into one file for easy transfer. Then I send it to myself via Gmail where I have more than 2GB of free space available. Every month or so, or two weeks if I have been doing a lot of writing, I pack it and send it and delete a previous version. Generally I keep two or three older versions of the backup in case I accidentally delete something I really needed.

Another simple solution is a CD/DVD burner. This is as simple as dragging and dropping the files you want to back up into a window and putting a CD or DVD into the drive. Generally I prefer to save money when I do this and try to use RW, or rewritable, media. Thus I can generally burn and re-burn data onto the same disc. They say that normally you can get a thousand rewrites on a disc. I have never wanted to push it and generally alternate three discs so that I always have 3 months of backups.

There is a vast array of backup technologies out there. Everything from digital tape drives to external hard drives to some of the options I have outlined. But remember that anything with moving parts is more likely to fail that something with no moving parts. It's just how the universe works. If I were to detail all the possible options it would take me a month most likely. The two above options are cheap and quick and don't require much in the way of extra hardware.

5) A different browser than Internet Explorer

Most internet based vectors exploit weaknesses in IE. The safest way to be immune is to not use it. These days there are more and more options for web browsers available, all with different features and aims.

Personally I use Firefox from Mozilla because it has been around for a long time and is fairly safe. It has been one of the safest browsers of all time with few exploits being found in the coding. It offers a multitude of useful features, customizations and plugins or extra pieces that do specific things.

A recent entrant into the browser arena is Flock. The main purpose of this browser is to allow the user to share information and files with friends, family and other users. As I said it is relatively new (and reminds me of a Mac browser) but I haven't heard of any exploits for it though only time will tell.

A third browser, which has been around for some time, is Opera. Originally there were some issues with this browser as it was based on the IE engine. But they have since changed it and now it runs on its own engine. What's that mean for you? Less exploitable holes in it, which means it's safer. Opera also has the unique ability to mimic the other browsers or rather report itself as another browser. This is quite helpful for web designers who need to see what their site will look like in various browser windows to be sure of maximum compatibility.

This is just a basic set of programs I think everyone needs to have on their computer. They are the basics of a good data integrity solution and will give you peace of mind when used diligently. A backup solution only works as long as it is used. An Anti-Virus software is only as good as its last update. But by taking an active role in your data security you can sleep more comfortably at night knowing that your data, and more importantly for some of us, our writing, is safe and sound from many unforeseen problems.

While this will not guarantee you will not have problems, and I cannot be personally responsible for anything that may happen with these programs or solutions, they should help you in the long run.

That reminds me, it's time for me to email myself the writing for August.