As wonderful as the Internet and other technologies are, there are aspects that are frustrating and make you want to yell at your computer or the relevant gadget.

So, without further ado, here are five things I hate about today's technology:

POP-UP WINDOWS: Everyone hates them. I recommend the Google Toolbar to fight them off. See more details at my "Sree's Top Three Ways to Deal with Popup Ads."

SPAM: Two products to fight junk e-mail are Digitportal.com & MailWasher.com - they do an effective job in removing spam (or at least reducing it). See other spam tips here and here.

LONG URLs: I hate those long addresses that people send you via e-mail. When you try to click on them, they sometimes don't work. Instead of sending them a long URL, use SnipURL.com to make the link shorter.

REMEMBERING PASSWORDS: I hate all the passwords you have to remember to use the web properly. So I use RoboForm.com and its excellent password reminder service. I use it for everything except my online banking password. Never use a service called Gator - which your children may have downloaed onto your machine (it's spyware).

OPENING PACKAGES: Some technology comes in almost-impossible-to-open packages. Yes, CDs are a good example. So are the hundreds of simple items from headphones to children's thermometers that you can't easily open. And if you use a pair of scissors to open the packages (there isn't an obviously place to put the pointy part) - the plastic becomes a dangerous, sharp, jagged edge. Hate it, hate it.

Am sure I have others. Will save them for another segment.

Write to techguru@sree.net and let me know your thoughts.