Clutter

If you are a paper, books, or stuff clutter-bug, go somewhere else for help. The following might help you tame electronic clutter.

Tame the electronic clutter beast

1. Check your e-mail inbox and unsubscribe from every e-mail "newsletter" you get. If you think any of these are worth getting, then bookmark the company's web site in a bookmark folder called "check monthly." Once a month visit the sites in this folder. This puts you in control and prevents the beast from flooding your inbox with unwanted, unread electronic excreta.
2. Check your e-mail program to see if it allows you to block spam or certain senders or whole domains (the part that follows the '@'). If you find it, use it.
3. If your browser has a pop-up killer, enable it. If not, search the net for a free pop-up killer and install it. Pop-ups are those infernal advertising windows that pop up when you visit certain sites.
4. Do not sign up for any "free" products on the net by giving away personal information. If you have to supply your social security number, e-mail address, telephone number, age, snail mail address, your opinions on XYZ, or anything else, the thing is not free. Free things are free. You should be able to download them anonymously.
5. If you visit a site that traps you (that is, it will not allow you to leave by using the "Back" button), send them an e-mail telling them you will never come back. That's serious mind control being exercised by some clown who has more JavaScript smarts than real smarts.
6. If you download a demo program that turns out to require you to spend big money to make the thing actually work, spend or uninstall.
7. Care for and feed your data.