S-M Utilities Poll - Week 5

profdlpprofdlp The Holy City Of Westlake, Ohio
edited August 2003 in Science & Tech
This week's topic: Spyware Detection

Your input will determine which programs are chosen to bear the proud title "Short-Media Approved", so be sure to vote!

No one likes a snoop, whether it's your nosy next door neighbor, or a sneaky computer program. Although most spyware is not malicious, there are types which may leave you a victim of identity theft.

Which Spyware Detection programs do you use?

Since some these programs place a stronger emphasis on finding "adware", and others set the detection of more malicious spyware as a priority, you may choose more than one. Also, there are many keylogging detectors out there which are quite useful in spy detection. If a significant percentage of voters indicate that they use a keylogging detection program we will have a separate poll for them in another week.

Please add your comments and opinions in this thread! Once this project is complete there will be an article written detailing the "S-M Approved" utilities. Knowing "what" you prefer would be great. Knowing "why" you prefer it would be even better.

I will attempt to modify the poll if one of the "Other" votes gets way more votes than one I've already listed.

Note: Thanks for the great response last week. The voting was close - two programs tied for first place with another only one vote behind. Your vote matters - all comments and all software receiving votes will be mentioned when the Short-Media Approved Utilities list is published.

Comments

  • mmonninmmonnin Centreville, VA
    edited August 2003
    I use Ad-Aware and a nice reformat (<- Always finds 'em all;)).
  • SpinnerSpinner Birmingham, UK
    edited August 2003
    I voted 'other', as I don't use one. I prefer to hunt the little privacy invaders down manually. Much more fun.;)
  • Geeky1Geeky1 University of the Pacific (Stockton, CA, USA)
    edited August 2003
    I use Ad-Aware as well, and given that I format and reinstall 1x per month on average, I generally don't have much to worry about anyhow :D
  • mmonninmmonnin Centreville, VA
    edited August 2003
    I ran it on mine and didnt find a thing. Best protection is not installing crap and KNOW what you are installing.
  • SlickSlick Upstate New York
    edited August 2003
    Most websites plant little biatch cookies on your system.
  • profdlpprofdlp The Holy City Of Westlake, Ohio
    edited August 2003
    Slick said
    Most websites plant little biatch cookies on your system.
    That's my main reason for using it. I've gotten to be pretty good at avoiding the real stinkers (BonziBuddy, Gator, Comet Cursor, etc), but it's almost impossible to keep up with those snooping cookies. Even if they really don't do much I don't like the idea of someone running something on my computer without asking first. :werr:
  • ShortyShorty Manchester, UK Icrontian
    edited August 2003
    Ad-Aware and Spybot :)

    They both do a great job at getting rid of any nasty little elements I didn't ask for ;)

    oh and a format every month helps too :D
  • SlickSlick Upstate New York
    edited August 2003
    I like ad-aware, but I cannot say the same for ad-watch that comes with the pro version. I found the only thing it is good for is interfering with me when I try to change the registry, and blocking pop up windows that I actaully requested.
  • KwitkoKwitko Sheriff of Banning (Retired) By the thing near the stuff Icrontian
    edited August 2003
    Ad-Aware, Spybot and Spywareblaster, the latter being the best since it keeps the nasty little buggers from getting on your system in the first place. With Spywareblaster installed, the most Ad-Aware or Spybot have ever found on my system are a few tracking cookies.
  • MERRICKMERRICK In the studio or on a stage
    edited August 2003
    Two votes: Spybot and Adaware though if I could only chhose one, it'd be Spybot. How does he manage to keep it free?
  • ArmoArmo Mr. Nice Guy Is Dead,Only Aqua Remains Member
    edited August 2003
    mmonnin said
    I use Ad-Aware and a nice reformat (<- Always finds 'em all;)).

    lol hey thats cheating!!!

    adaware and spybot
  • LincLinc Owner Detroit Icrontian
    edited August 2003
    Concur with the AdAware and Spybot :)
  • profdlpprofdlp The Holy City Of Westlake, Ohio
    edited August 2003
    You just made it, General.

    Glad to see your post! :wave:
  • SpinnerSpinner Birmingham, UK
    edited August 2003
    Okay people, your week (and a bit) of voting and discussion is up. Time to move on to the next topic. Thanks to all of you for voting and posting your thoughts.

    SPINNER

    Week 6 can be found at the link below and the subject is Disk Defrag Tools:
    http://www.short-media.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=2597
This discussion has been closed.