Windows XP HOSTS File

To avoid web tracking and web ads, it is often useful to blacklist domains in the HOSTS file.  On Windows XP, the HOSTS file is drive:\WINDOWS\system32\drivers\etc.

Make a backup before editing the file.  To avoid breaking the earlier entries, add new entries to the bottom of the file. 
An entry to black hole a domain will look like the following. 
127.0.0.1       cdn.optmd.com

This shows before and after for a host lookup of cdn.optmd.com.  In the second ping, it resolves to the localhost.

Anonymous Web Browsing

This TOR bundle allows for easy anonymous web browsing.

Tools to Download Webmail

For downloading webmail to the desktop for archiving, these free programs are useful.

Windows Live Mail work for Hotmail and others.  Setup instructions.

I use Zimbra Desktop with Yahoo webmail.  It has nice search features.