Once in a blue moon, I discover a piece of software that's a) way off the beaten path and b) worthy, after a short trial, of immediate adoption and constant use. There is a small group of these on my desktop, all in the task bar, all poised for the mouse click which is never more than a few minutes or hours away. None of them come from those giant companies we all know and love (names omitted by design!). Most often they seem to be but one person's labor of love or, at most, one of a small cluster of products from a very small company who survive because they carved out a special spot in the software world.

Among my special package are products like PowerDesk, EditPad, AYMail and InSync. PowerDesk (www.ontrack.com) replaces Windows Explore in grand style. I couldn't get along without it. EditPad (www.ping.be/jg/) makes the MS product obsolete. AYmail (www.aysoft.com) transforms mailings (like the GAZETTE newsletter) into a trivial task. And InSync (www.dillobits.com) is the simplest and best backup program I've ever used. Dave Guest's specialized software like TextFiler (www.readersandwriters.com/textfiler) are an important addition to the group. MailWasher fits right in and after several weeks of trial it is now in constant use.

There are common attributes throughout this list. None of them are pretentious nor claim to be all things to all people. Rather they strive to do one important task and perform it better than anyone else seems able to accomplish. Some are free. Some solicit or require a modest payment. All provide upgrades as appropriate and all have been responsive when in need of technical advice. It comes as no surprise, then, that they have all survived for a number of years, an uncommon trait indeed!

To demonstrate simplicity, look at the MW's header. You need nothing else to grasp the use and effectiveness of this product.

There is a short list of things you must do to get MW up and running. First, go on line. Then go to Tools and fill in your account information--your ISP, the account name, user-name and password. While in Tools, click Options and select whatever setup options are appropriate for your use. Then, close the file and click the 'Check Mail' box. And you are in business. Complicated!

Operation is not rocket science. Mailwasher lists the mail as it resides on your ISP's server. IF you wish to delete and/or bounce any of the mail check the appropriate box. Then click Process Mail and it deletes the marked items, then opens your mail program. From there retrieve the mail as you would normally. Note: you may have to check the Bounce option with your ISP. Some servers apparently will not take the action without your personal approval.

There are other options, as seen below. But I choose not to do anything but screen and download. That makes me very happy. But if you want to build a friends list or a list of your bounced items, welcome to it. Otherwise, the commands in the header menus merely duplicate the options you have in the active table.

That's it! MW is a fine piece of software and is free. However, the author asks for a $20 subscription if you want to receive Email support and notification of upgrades. The author deserves your support! Download it now at www.mailwasher.net.