One of the more common ways of getting information about your interests is by tracking which websites you like to frequent.  The best case scenario is that spyware is just plain annoying.  The worst-case scenario is that the spyware will bog down your computer and cause it to malfunction.  I’ve even had one case where a spyware application (Common Name) malfunctioned enough to disrupt Internet access.  Even reinstalling Windows didn’t fix the problem.  The only way to restore Internet access to this computer was to extract all remnants spyware application from the computer including all registry entries.

Spyware isn’t intentionally malicious like a virus is.  In fact, sometimes a spyware application will give you a nifty little feature to use while it’s on your computer.  A good example of this is Gator’s Date Manager application, which gives you a date book in your system tray.  Meanwhile it gathers information from your computer so that you can be “targeted” with advertisements.  Another example of such an application is “HotBar”.  One thing that HotBar does is that it gives you extra buttons within Outlook that will allow you to insert “emoticons” within your email message.  It’s a cute feature, but HotBar is also spying on you at the same time.

Some spyware is actually required by other applications you may have installed.  For example, if you use Kazaa (depending on the version of Kazaa), you are required to have the Common Name spyware application installed or Kazaa will cease to function.

Personally, I want to zero spyware on my computer.  If some application requires a particular spyware application in order to function, then I’m not going to use that application.  Spyware complicates your operating system and other applications.  Having said that, I know a lot of people that use HotBar and don’t have any problems.  That’s fine.  Like I said earlier, spyware isn’t intentionally malicious and won’t cause problems in a lot of cases.  However, if there is any kind or problem or otherwise quirky behavior on a particular computer and I’m called upon to fix it, HotBar and all other spyware will be thrown overboard (after I scan for viruses, first!).  Once the computer is functioning fine again, the user is free to install it again.  It’s not that I’m afraid of the black helicopters landing in my back yard; I’m just a purist.  To quote Scotty from Star Trek, “The more complicated the plumbing, the easier it is to clog”.

The best way to remove spyware is to use “SpyBot Search & Destroy”.  This can be obtained from http://www.downloads.com.  The program is free, but the author accepts a donation if you find it useful.  You can go to http://security.kolla.de if you wish to donate.  I sent him a $20.00 donation after I used SpyBot to fix the computer that I mentioned earlier where it couldn’t access the Internet because Common Name was malfunctioning.  If you find this program helpful, please send him a donation.

When you go to use this program, it’s important to run the update feature, first.  This will download and install the latest updates available for SpyBot.  Just like antivirus companies are constantly coming out with updated virus definitions, there are new spyware definitions constantly coming out for SpyBot.  After you have downloaded and installed the latest updates for SpyBot, have it search for spyware.  When it’s done scanning for spyware, it will display a list of all spyware found.  Select all of the spyware entries in the list and have it fix them.  Sometimes SpyBot will prompt you to run it again after the next reboot to complete the job.

I can’t say enough good things about this application!  Get it.  Use it regularly.  Send a donation.  It will keep your computer running a lot more efficiently.