The beta software I tested was still a work in progress and won't be released for a month or so. But the company announced the new version ahead of time, because it wanted customers to understand that XP support and other requested improvements are on the way. It also seemed to feel some competition from the Nortons of the world, recently out with their 2002 releases. I'd rather have seen the software announced when it was ready for download, but I didn't get a vote.

STILL, IT'S HARD to get upset with a company as aggressively user-friendly as Zone Labs. After building what most reviews and user comments I've seen say is a top-notch security product, the company chose a radical marketing plan: They give the software away.

Personal users (that's you and me) and non-profits (but not government or schools) can use ZoneAlarm absolutely free. Business customers pay $19.95 and those wanting some additional networking features can upgrade to the Pro version for $39.95.

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The company previously sold annual subscriptions. When the subscription expired, so did the software. Now, once you install it, the application runs in perpetuity. Pricing for the new version will be announced at release, but the free version is a permanent fixture.

All the most important features are included in the free version. These are a "stealth" firewall, which makes your computer invisible to outsiders, and application control, which protects against e-mail worms and other malicious code that gets onto your machine.

THE 3.0 VERSION includes an easier-to-understand "home page"-based user interface, and does a better job of explaining the individual alerts presented to the user, including a "more info" button that links to the company's Web site for detailed explanations and technical information.

The new release also hardens the firewall. One feature "fingerprints" programs that access the Internet, as well as individual program files, to ensure a trusted application cannot be corrupted by a rogue DLL installed onto the machine.

But for all the program does--which is a lot--ZoneAlarm is not antivirus software, and Zone recommends that users install their favorite program to protect against infections. Though ZoneAlarm does protect against many of the effects of computer viruses and can stop a computer from becoming infected in the first place, it is specifically not a virus cure.

The 3.0 Pro version includes privacy protection, cookie control, and enhanced network support. There is also a new, threshold-based ad-blocker that deserves some discussion.

WHILE I DON'T LIKE ad blockers--being that they threaten my livelihood--this one makes some sense, because it blocks ads only when they take too long to download. This is especially handy if you're dialing into the Internet on a relatively slow connection. It also supports blocking pop-ups and pop-unders, which I fully endorse.

While a personal user doesn't absolutely require the Pro features, many individual users like the free version so much they upgrade anyway, as a means of supporting a software company they like. Paying corporations are also well-represented among Zone Labs' estimated 15 million users, including EDS, which recently site-licensed 125,000 copies for its employees.

Last time I checked, ZDNet users had downloaded nearly 14 million copies of ZoneAlarm, and I'm sure the new version will only add to its popularity. And while the new version won't be out until sometime around Comdex Fall time frame in mid-November, there's no reason not to download the current release and upgrade when the new one appears.

After all, the price is certainly right.

Have you tried earlier versions of ZoneAlarm? Will you try version 3.0? What do you think of the improvements? TalkBack to me!

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