[thomasgeorge]

There is a neat, and free, little program you can download by going to ZD net downloads, called Ad-Aware which will remove spyware programs from your computer. Spyware programs report back to their host server at intervals and can send a lot of information about your browsing habits and so forth out into the "brave new digital world". If you have ever downloaded free programs or gone to sites which use these programs, you got 'em. While not a virus, they can cause intermittent slowdowns in your computers internet activity as they "grap" for time to report in. Anyhow, go on over to ZD net downloads and check it out if you are interested. Tom

[Doug Nelson]

I use and recommend Ad-Aware. Just be careful to review its results before you tell it to delete. It is a safe and very useful program.

[Jean B]

My computer guru (son) told me about this a few months ago and I installed it. It's amazing what it finds and gets rid of. Super little programme.

[Jill]

I had 32 infected files It was no wonder I was getting so much junk....and I mean junk x yuk. I signed up for the free trial version of cute ftp and then started getting all this junk mail...hmmmmm. Thanks again for that recommendation. I have a question, I didn't go thru the files before I deleted them and I saw somewere that it deleted gozilla/or gozilla wouldn't work if.... I wish I knew what I was talking about here....anyway, what is gozilla and if I deleted something important how would I get it back ( I haven't gotten the go back program yet, darn it!)

[thomasgeorge]

The only programs which would be affected would be ones which have the "spyware" module as an integral part of the main program, mostly of the freeware variety. Gozilla is a download assist program which is so-so, in my opinion only I hasten to add. There should be some info at the Ad aware site to fill in around the edges, as it were. I believe that in order to get a program to work that has been disabled by having its spyware removed, you would have to uninstall then re-install the program spyware included. Tom

[DJ Dubovsky]

So how exactly do you make sure it singles out the bad stuff and not the good ones you want to be connected with? Or is this a certain kind of underhanded trick only the bad sites use that it detects and cleans? OK so I'm not real big on the technical lingo but I think you get my meaning.
DJ

[Doug Nelson]

It's pretty easy, since most of the stuff is titled in plain English. If it says "casino" or "hot porn" or something like that, it's a pretty safe bet you want it to go. If it says something about one of your necessary or favorite sites, let it stay. If in doubt, keep it or investigate.

But I found nothing it wanted to delete that I wanted. It's just good general advice to be careful, though.

[DJ Dubovsky]

Thanks. It does peak my interest since I've been getting some pretty raunchy e-mail and don't know why. Guess it's worth at try.
DJ

[Jean B]

You get a list of the sites and it's pretty obvious which ones are unwanted. You can exclude any you think you might want (?) and delete the rest. Here is a screenshot of what I've collected in only a week.

[Jill]

Your making me laugh here....I have a hard time even saying some of the stuff that ad aware found! I always think....what if something happened to me and all these freaky program files were found on my computer LOL! I was blaming the cute ftp freeware but now have tried to use my neomail in my website server area and says that I cannot access because the cookies were missing or something like that. Maybe my host server is the one with the spyware, I got the junk the same time as I signed up with them, used the ftp program.....just wondering?

[thomasgeorge]

Spyware is linked with freeware in as much as the folks who write the freeware frequently include the spyware( charging companies etc. to direct info to those sites) as a way of making some money for their efforts. I suppose there is here the potential beginnings of a great debate about the pros and cons of this approach, but, I object to being electronically "tagged" without my knowledge or informed consent, and monitored, regardless for what reason. I just feel that if the program has spyware in it and requires the spyware to be active in order to work, I want nothing to do with it. Too much potential for mischief, as data tends to get traded and/or sold among business concerns, without the informed consent of the individual invloved. Terribly "Big Brotherish" I think and somewhat alarming..just my paranoid ramblings, although I was once told that the difference between a neurotic and a paranoid is that the neurotic thinks someone is out to get 'em while the paranoid Knows someone is. Tom

[Doug Nelson]

Probably the biggest spyware perpetrator out there is Doubleclick. If you don't specifically go to their site and "opt out" they will put a cookie on your machine and track you from site to site (granted, they don't know who "you" is, and can only track you to sites that hire them).

Another variety is software that has a spyware element that is installed along with the software, such as Kazaa (a music service). Even uninstalling this won't get rid of the spyware. There are techniques to remove it fully listed on the web.

[CJ Swartz]

Thanks, Doug! I went there and opted out immediately. Doubleclick is always on my cookie list when I'm housecleaning.

[thomasgeorge]

While not software, those of you who work on computers at your workplace might want to check out the link below...its kinda interesting..in a spooky sort of way...http://www.keykatcher.com/howitworks.htm ...never know whos "listening"! Might be a good topic for a new thread in the salon area, something about insights concerning expectations vs. actualities of computer/internet/network privacy and how this might relate to working with someones treasured photos? Just a thought.... Tom

[DJ Dubovsky]

Think of all the neat toys we could buy if we didn't have to keep spending money to protect our equipment ie. anti spyware, anti virus etc.
DJ