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Convoluted setup, slow or missing proxy servers, and a poor interface is what you'll get with this disappointing privacy tool. XMicro Internet Security: Anonymous Surfing's tool-tray interface opens to a poorly constructed dialog that obscures function buttons and program information. You can work your way around the interface, but it only leads to more problems. When you do get everything working, you'll find settings affect only Internet Explorer. Confusingly, the Help file lists options not available with this application.
The Anonymous Surfing Tool is the only component to this utility. It's a proxy server that helpfully searches for the best available server. Unfortunately, that list is short and most servers are unresponsive or slow. Each time you want to change servers, the list must be reverified. It's a slow process, although there is an option to automatically change servers every 15 minutes to 3 hours. There is an easily set option to enter the IP address of a known proxy server, but you could simply enter the IP directly in Internet Explorer without using this utility.
Without a speedy proxy server, this program proves more of a hindrance than a helpful privacy tool. Novices won't find it simple enough, and advanced users won't be pleased with the features. You won't need the full eight-day demo to know that this program has little to offer users of any level.
Publisher's Description
From XMicro:
Anonymous Surfing enhances your online privacy by hiding your IP address and location from all the Websites you visit. The application changes the Internet Explorer proxy settings so that IE uses one of thousands anonymous servers (which could be anywhere in the world) to connect to any Website you are visiting instead of directly connecting to it.
Features: Masks your IP address from all Websites; Offers a list of fastest and most secure anonymous proxy servers; Automatic proxy server switching; Integrates seamlessly with Internet Explorer; Proxy servers from varied number of countries to help you hide your identity; Server speed rating to enable you choose the best server manually; Database consisting of thousands of proxy servers; Automatic up-gradation to faster server; Downloads new updates automatically. This version is the first release on CNET Download.com.
What's new in this version: This version is the first release on CNET Download.com.
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All versions:
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Current version:
1.0 starsout of 1 votes
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"I won't buy it"
Version: XMicro Internet Security: Anonymous Surfing 2
Cons
It is impossible to tell how good this program is, and this is why:
In this trial version, the process of checking proxies is EXTREMELY slow and the list of proxies is VERY limited.
Once the program had put you through the torture of checking available in this trial version proxies, you - or the program- choose the fastest connection- and when you use it, you are facing the connection speed which can only be described as DIAL-UP B.C. Watching my computer agony while it was loading the multiple frames, I was thinking that sending them via U.S. Postal Service would be faster. And I have a High Speed Connection.
This program has an 8-day trial limit, and whoever is in charge of the marketing of this program should have realized that this limitation was good enough.
But- Noooooooooo.
They?ve put on top of it- the lousiest proxy connections list, thinking that it will induce me to buy the full version.
Effect of this ingenious sales strategy is COMPLETELY OPPOSITE.
Why? Very simple.
Right now I am not sure, if this proxy list will be improved once I paid my money, or it will remain the lousy self, shown in the trial version.
I am not risking my money to find out.
I would strongly suggest to fire your marketing Genius and stick with the idea that when you are trying to show off (which the entire purpose of the DEMO is)- try at least to pretend that you look good.
The program ?Hide My IP? listed on Cnet has only 3 days and 1 fake IP limit- but IT IS FLYING!
So, until the people in Xmicro fix this slow speed connection annoyance in the trial version - I can not tell if this program is good or bad. As a user I don?t care about anything, but ? how little speed I loose while using proxy, how few buttons I have to push and how stable my fake IP is.
The performance of the program is killed by the snail like proxies provided in the trial version.
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