This looks long but it isn't. You're a family man who is using the family computer to take off in the wild blue yonder. Here's the summary that you can mentally print and strap to your leg before you take off and after you land to ensure no one else knows about it. Details are below.

(1) Clear history/cache. Check.
(2) Clear cookies. Check.
(3) Create a password protected file to save any "special" links. Check.
(4) Take off and Land.
(5) Clear history/cache. Check
(6) Clear cookies. Check.
(7) Clear the document buffer. Check.
(8) Empty the recycle bin. Check.
(9) Clear Mouse buffer and confirm no new jpegs. Check
(10) Secure and check password protected MsWord file. Check.

Before takeoff: Perform these steps BEFORE you surf to where you shouldn't GO and AFTER you safely return from where you shouldn't have been. NEVER open your e-mail or visit a home investment club after having been at a sex site without performing these steps.

(1) Clear history/cache. I was about to spend several pages going over how to clear history folders for the vast variety of IE and Netscape versions. Fortunately, the following website does that for me, http://support.bicnet.net/win9598/. Just go to your type of browser in the "Browsers section and follow the directions for clearing history.

(2) Clear cookies. Delete all your internet explorer or netscape browsers temporary files. Why? As you take-off to sites you shouldn't be going, these sites are only too happy to put cookies on your computer and read where you have already been and figure out who you are. See our "think your surfing is anonymous?" article for more information. Cookies aren't programs; they are just text. However, do you really want "hothunks.com" to really know your history? Some folks set up their browsers to never accept cookies. I wouldn't suggest this and personally, I get tired of hitting "no" all the time when you do that so I accept any and all cookies knowing full well that I'm going to delete them all after my session is concluded. In other words, don't be afraid of cookies. Just be aware of them and know they are there an delete 'em when you are done being where you shouldn't have been.

For Internet Explorer users: http://support.bicnet.net/win9598/. Follow the instructions for clearing temp files but note the "settings" option. click this and all the remaining undeleted cookies appear. Do a "Edit Select All" file delete and watch them disappear.

For Netscape users: If you are NOT computer smart, then a friend suggested downloading the following freeware program that looks like it would do the trick for all Netscape 4.X users http://www.neuro-tech.net/comclear.html. I'm an IE buff myself or I would know more about Netscape. If there are Netscape "smart folks" out there, please post on the Forum board in the monitoring software section about deleting netscape cookies.

If you don't want to download the freeware program, then here's an instruction set of how to delete your Netscape cookies. I would be interested in feedback on deleting Netscape cookies (without having to update registers, etc.) Again, respond in the forum board.

(3) Create a password protected file to save any "special" links. Trust me, do this. Under File Save As, save to your desktop or where ever under a benign filename such as mine, "mortgage data" BUT before you hit the save, select "options". Under this new menu is the ability to file lock with a password this MsWord file. I have this file open so that I can cut and paste into it, well, shall we say, "nice links" of places that I dare NOT bookmark.

(4) Take off and Land.Surf away go to even those "bad" sites. You probably don't need help here. However, the following is a little note. If you are bound a determined to buy an adult verification license, I would suggest Adult Check. No, we aren't endorsing nor gettin' a dime from them. However, it makes sense that if you are going to buy a license to access those adult(ly) verified sites, that you would get a license which covers BOTH straight and gay sites. That way, if you are ever "caught", you can see, "gee honey, those gals never looked as good as you". It's a little harder to explain away a "mancheck" or "gayworld" type of license.

AFTER LANDING:

(5) Clear history/cache. When done surfing where you shouldn't have been, close your browser, repeat steps 1 and 2 and "save" your file if you kept any links. For IE users, I just right click on my IE icon and select "properties" to perform these steps.

(6) Clear cookies.. Already talked about in step (2).

(7) Clear the document buffer. I about died one day after looking at my own zip drive pictures when I saw the document buffer (go START DOCUMENTS) showed all sorts of jpeg "69men", "hardfu%^", "hotcumstud", etc., type names all right there. Do a START, SETTINGs, TASKBAR, Start Menu Programs, Clear document. This wipes out the document history listing and saves you from any unneeded worry.

(8) Empty the recycle bin. Right click on this puppy and empty it. If you have a Norton protected bin like I do, you'll have to then empty protected files and THEN do a Norton unerase and right click delete those files (whew!).

(9) Clear Mouse buffer and confirm no new jpegs. If I've been saving jpegs to my hard-drive, writing little "what I'd like to do to you memos", etc., I ALWAYS DO A START FIND. Go START, Find files/folders, date modified, check "between", and enter today's date in both fields. Ensure that nothing jpeg(ish), gif(ish), or word document(ish) that you don't want seen pops up among the many other files. Sometimes I write a letter or save a jpeg and save it accidentally in the "my documents folder" and forget about it. This step helps find that. For clearing your mouse buffer. If you've done any cutting and pasting of anything during this session, immediately open up some document and do a cut and past again of something benign. Again, after doing some rather creative cutting and pasting of links (for example), I was stunned to be typing the grandma letter later and do a "paste" and out popped out, "www.hotfu#$men69...", well, you get the idea. Put something nice in that buffer instead.

(10) Secure and check password protected MsWord file. If you've been writing letters or using a password protected file, open it again just to check that it asks for a password (need to do this but only once).

There, if you're stuck with a one family computer like I am, then after a while, these steps will become pretty matter of course and will SAVE YOUR ASS in the future. I guarantee it.