Does Spyware serve any constructive purpose for the PC user?

[maveric]

My system is bogged down once again and my tech-savvy son told me that its because of Spyware files and processes.

What useful purpose does Spyware accomplish?

I'm trying to find a good program to get rid of those files. Can anyone recommend any that are free?

[Langis]

1. Spybot or adaware

www.lavasoftusa.com for adaware, I'm sure you can find spybot via google.

It serves no purpose for you, just the people who run the programs. They collect all the data it sends them. Then they sell it to marketing companies (I could be completely wrong here though).

[david_vincent]

2. Maybe someone has the link

to the previous discussion about spyware-removal programs?
Ad-aware is a good one. Someone suggested another one as well --
if memory serves, it's called Spybot. Apparently each of them will
find stuff that the other one misses.

[AndyP]

3. it's useless, download ad-aware

make sure to update it before you run. download it here: http://download.com.com/3000-8022-10214379.html?tag=lst-0-1

Install the program. Double click on it, Then click check for updates and update the program otherwise it's pretty useless. Then click next, then click on the second bullet, then click customize next to it and click all the red things green, then click scan. After it's done scanning right click on any file and select "select all" then hit delete or next or whatever (i can't remember what word it is).
Any questions feel free to email me: [e-mail] . This is pretty much all I do at work now so I'm pretty good at it. I'm a tech on a college campus and all the students have this problem.

[AndyP]

4. here's another program

http://www.soft32.com/download_19014.html it's called cwshredder. Just open and click on "fix" and it does everything automatically, only finds a few but they are the big problimatic ones.

[maveric]

5. Thanks to all! I'll buy ya a beer or a latte sometime.

Can anyone tell me what Spywares purpose is? Is there any way to stop it?
I'm a tech-dunce so please bear with me.

[adriennui]

6. i've tried them all

my PC is a complete nightmare now, someone said the only real fix is to get a firewall. adaware, spybot? it's hopeless. as soon as you find a remedy some fools find a way to break it.

spyware does just that...it spies and tracks where you go on the net. malware is even worse.

[YellowRubberDuckie]

7. I'm surprised there hasn't been a class action suit

against the spywarers, if that's a word.
Duckie

[AntiCoup2K4]

8. Spyware is every bit as useful as....

[King_Crimson]

9. Spybot and Spyware Blaster are both excellent...

Have both installed and never have had any problems! Just need to check for updates occasionally!

[strategery blunder]

10. Spyware serves no useful purpose except to corporations and A$$KKKroft.

It sends information about your computer usage, most likely to a nosy marketer looking for information about your Internet browsing habits.

It serves no useful purpose to the computer user unfortunate enough to have it on his/her computer. Get ad-aware and/or spybot and dispose of the evil lurking privacy violations.

[Madrone]

11. Yep!

It's teaching a whole new class of PC users the old "format and reinstall" - if their computer gets bad enough. :)