General Discussion

[Spyware is generated by a number of nefarious sources]

FYI...

- http://www.ecommercetimes.com/perl/story/33231.html
March 25, 2004
"..."It's my computer. It's my private property," said Sen. Conrad Burns (R-Montana), during a public hearing in the U.S. Senate earlier this week, talking about his bill to ban spyware. "I bought it and paid for it for my use only. Not some leech."

Spyware is generated by a number of nefarious sources. Generally, purveyors of faux shareware, offered over the Internet, will include a spy program with their download as the undisclosed purchase price.

Other spyware spreads like a computer virus, secretly, through banners, pop-ups and other means that help install malware on a user's PC.

The installation often takes place instantly if the user's browser security features are left at the default setting. The software may monitor your keystrokes to see what Web pages you visit, he added. Or it may be even more pernicious, such as a Trojan that can link you to whatever Web site its programmers command.

The plague of spyware is getting so bad that it might rival SPAM if it does not abate soon..."

(IMHO, it's WORSE than SPAM!)

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I Have never had a problem with spam...But spyware...my wife can't get enough of it.

[here]

I have never had a problem with spam...

Well, a whole lot of your neighbors do. See (10 out of 12 messages are SPAM - current stat as of D/T of this post, and under "Maps" - see "Spam Activity") here:

- http://www.postini.com/stats/index.html

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With the exception of family and friends, I have never given out my ISP email address in 7 years. I have only used online accounts for registrations, forms, etc. I have set those permissions to exclusive so as to receive only email from people in my contact list. No exaggeration, I could count the spam mail on one hand. My wife gets lots though, but she only uses the one email address. I have tried telling her! LOL!

strangly enough, for years i was the only person i knew (who used email) who'd never had a problem with spam.  i of course never gave out my email but to friends.  yet somehow, my addy got on the list of the spammers of poor english grammer (you know the type--they email you a virus with a spanish name, they need to smuggle a lump of cash larger than the GNP of the country they need to smuggle it out of, etc).

i shall pray for you, Stereo_Type.

I can always use a few extra prayers...Cheers!

but spyware is avoidable in most cases......