Internet Sweeper
This application handles some basic privacy chores just fine, but we did experience a couple of performance and stability problems. Internet Sweeper’s boring interface might make you yawn, but at least it’s self-explanatory. You simply check boxes to clean up your surfing history in Internet Explorer and AOL (the free version disables the cleaning of Opera and Netscape). You’ll also find tools for tidying up a few areas of the Windows system, such as the Recycle Bin and the Recent Documents list, but you can’t clean up after third-party apps or securely shred files. Internet Sweeper offers an option for overwriting files after deletion, but checking this box caused the program to consistently freeze. The built-in pop-up blocker worked quite well, although its prowess against Flash ads is decidedly poor. Inexperienced IE users looking for a fast privacy solution might like this application, but power users are bound to crave a more versatile solution.
Full Specifications
WHAT’S NEW IN VERSION 1.8.4
Erase information stored in Windows about Internet sites visited. This program is free (although donations are appreciated) and fully functional. It automatically runs when the computer boots, the user logs in, or browsers are closed. It works with all 32-bit Windows programs and with all major browsers (Internet Explorer, Navigator, Opera, and now AOL). It erases the cache, history, cookies, addresses, passwords, and temporary files, and closes pop-up windows in browsers, including AOL.