Now these are not all bad. Cookies let a Web site recognise you the next time you log on. Thats how your online bookstore or bank recognises you each time you visit their site. History files log your recent surfing, so you can quickly rediscover a site. Caching, meanwhile, holds temporary copies of the Web pages youve visited--they are what you see when you retrace your steps by clicking the Back button on your browser.

The problem is those clues are there for your co-workers to view too. More worryingly, the Internet is a backdoor into your computer, and snoopers can retrieve data while you are online. Internet Cleanup does a thorough job of removing Web trails as well as scouring your hard disk of Web-site downloads such as ActiveX controls and plug-ins. And even if you dont care who knows where youve been, do you want your hard disk slowly cluttered and filled by months of accumulated Web debris? The package will tidy things up and liberate disk space. You can set clean-ups for specific times of day, as well as choosing to leave certain cookies untouched. After all, you might want your bank to recognise you when you come calling.