• Protect your privacyImage by Flickr.com, courtesy of Andrew Magill
  
  

Erase History

• Any privacy program should erase your browser history. Your history entails websites visited, pictures, videos, audio, webchats and autocomplete forms. Webroot and East-Tec will both erase your browsing history, provided that you are using a browser that is supported by the software.
  
  

Supported Web Browsers

• It's important that any permanent file deletion program supports the browser or browsers that you use. Webroot supports Firefox, Internet Explorer, AOL and Netscape. East-Tec supports Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, Netscape Navigator, America Online, MSN Explorer and Opera.
  
  

Destroy Data

• One of the issues that PC users face is that when data is deleted, it can still be retrieved. To permanently delete files, they must be overwritten, often multiple times. East-Tec boasts permanent deletion of files exceeding U.S. Department of Justice standards, and Webroot claims that it will overwrite your deleted files with random characters so that the data cannot be extracted.
  
  

Automatic Maintenance

• Both programs can be configured so that you can schedule automatic cleanup of specified files, such as history, cookies or other data you need wiped regularly. East-Tec allows you to choose scheduling by a time--once a week or once a day, or by computer inactivity. Likewise, Webroot will let users pick a date or time, or an event, such as closing your Internet browser.
  
  

Delete Cookies

• Tracking cookies are everywhere on the Internet. If you don't want to be tracked without your permission, a good cleaner is invaluable. Webroot offers customized cookie tracking, where you can pick and choose which cookies to keep and which to delete.
  
  

Look and Feel

• A good cleaner should be easily navigable and customizable. You should consider the graphic user interface (GUI), which is the look and feel of the program. Is the layout easily navigable? How intuitive is the design? East-Tec's layout is very customizable, but is also more difficult to navigate than Webroot. Free trials are one of the best ways to decide if a program suits yours needs and is easy to use, and both East-Tec and Webroot Window washer offer them.