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6. Say No to Sneaky Ads

You may have noticed an army of devious advertisers camping inside your PC, pulling all kinds of nasty tricks. After you download free programs, for instance, other smaller programs (known as adware or spyware) can often install alongside the ones you want without your knowledge. These mini-programs deliver annoying pop-up ads on sites you visit--or worse, they report back your every move to advertisers.

To find out what's lurking in your system, grab Ad-aware, the free utility that can ferret out and delete unwanted components. You can also try Spychecker to find out if you have unwittingly downloaded spyware by typing in the name of programs you've installed on your system.

7. Want to Be Spam-Free?

2002 was a banner year for spam, and next year, our in-boxes are going to get even more unwanted e-mail. Of course, you won't find a magical cure to make spam go away entirely, but you can take a few steps to turn the tide on junk mail.

A good spam filter can help. Try MailWasher. This junk e-mail killer runs from the system tray and deletes spam before it ever gets to your mailbox (free trial or $20 to keep). You can also apply filters to your e-mail program, turn off your e-mail's preview pane, and keep your precious e-mail address from reaching spammers' radar screens. For details, check out "Spam Begone."

8. Out With the Old

If 2002 was the year of living large on your computer, then it may be time for a little PC downsizing. Digital music copied or downloaded onto your PC is probably sucking up gigabytes of space.

One of the easiest ways to free some space on your hard drive is to transfer MP3 files and video clips you don't use frequently onto compact disks, DVDs, or other removable media. With software utilities like CD Box Labeler Pro and CdrLabel, you can make it easy to find your archives by creating labels for CD jewel cases, floppy disks, and Zip disks. You can try out both programs for free--otherwise they're $15 each to keep.

But you can use your CD burner for more than just beefing up your music collection. Backup to CD-RW simplifies archiving files across multiple CD-ROMs (free trial or $40 to keep). You can back up and restore your entire system, including the Registry, or selectively back up and restore any part of it--you select the files and folders to back up.

9. Stay on Top of Fraud

Despite advances in computer security in 2002, hackers and identity thieves continue to be a major headache. If you use your credit card online regularly, identifying problems should be high on your list. Consider visiting an antifraud site like CardCops. This consumer-oriented site allows you to check whether thieves have stolen your credit card numbers.

CardCops has collected tens of thousands of stolen credit card numbers from Internet chat rooms where hackers trade information on whether the accounts are still valid. You can check your card by visiting the site and typing in your credit card's numbers. If CardCops recognizes the numbers--it will alert you--cancel the card immediately.

10. Break Free of Entanglements--and Bad Posture

When was the last time you poked your head behind your desk? Don't be surprised if you find a frightening mix of wires tangled and twisted into knots. The mess is unsightly and can cause some negative effects on your PC. You can end up with a hum in your speakers, for example, when an AC power cable gets intertwined with other wires.

You undo the mess by using handy tools like cable clips and flexible tubing that's split along one side so you can easily tuck cables inside. To find out about specific ways to tackle the jungle of wires growing under your desk, read "Eight Tips to Tame Cables."

And while you're moving things around, take note of how your workstation setup feels. Are you straining your eyes to read your monitor or typing at an awkward angle? If possible, adjust the height of your desk and monitor or keyboard to make it more comfortable. For help on how to set up your workspace correctly, visit "Essential Ergonomics."

Given Up Already?

For those of you who resolve to learn Spanish, eat better, or quit smoking, technology can't give you willpower, but you might get a little help from the Web. Once you've decided on your New Year's resolutions, if you think you'll need help along the way, check out How to Keep Your New Years Resolution.com and Resolutions Reminder. Both sites offer tips and reminders on how to stick to your resolution course.

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