Thoughts on Spy Sweeper?

Scott · External Since: Aug 05, 2005 Posts: 94

I'm looking at Webroot's Spy Sweeper program to fight spyware and
adware, since this month's PC World gave it their highest rating.
It sells for $29.95. It's interesting that PC World named Sunbelt
Software's Counter Spy their "best buy" a month ago, which is why
I bought it. Now they say it's not that great. Any opinions on Spy
Sweeper? Would it work to run both programs on the same computer?
I'm thinking that they both have a feature that runs in the
background.

Thanks!
Scott

edelbeb · External Since: Nov 24, 2004 Posts: 8

I use Spy Sweeper 4.0. So far, I've been satisfied, although my kids and I
are relatively carefully about installing software, thus reducing the
spyware/adware threat. Spy Sweeper 4.0 is not perfect, however. On rare
occasion, it will report that one of its files are damaged and recommend
reinstallation. Simply closing Spy Sweeper and reopening it fixes the
problem. Also, in version 3.0, the memory shield slowed things down while
capturing video when or when playing graphics intensive games. In version
4.0, the memory shield has not affected graphics intensive games, but I
haven't fully tested its effects on video capture.

Finally, I've noticed that Spy Sweeper 4.5 is out. Webroot subsciption
database has gone slightly haywire at times, but it's improving, and their
customer service people have resolved subscription issues quickly and
courteously.

"Scott" <golden.RemoveThis@uslink.net> wrote in message
news:43498130.20CCD7D4@uslink.net...
> I'm looking at Webroot's Spy Sweeper program to fight spyware and
> adware, since this month's PC World gave it their highest rating.
> It sells for $29.95. It's interesting that PC World named Sunbelt
> Software's Counter Spy their "best buy" a month ago, which is why
> I bought it. Now they say it's not that great. Any opinions on Spy
> Sweeper? Would it work to run both programs on the same computer?
> I'm thinking that they both have a feature that runs in the
> background.
>
> Thanks!
> Scott

edelbeb · External Since: Nov 24, 2004 Posts: 8

I use Spy Sweeper 4.0. So far, I've been satisfied, although my kids and I
are relatively carefully about installing software, thus reducing the
spyware/adware threat. Spy Sweeper 4.0 is not perfect, however. On rare
occasion, it will report that one of its files are damaged and recommend
reinstallation. Simply closing Spy Sweeper and reopening it fixes the
problem. Also, in version 3.0, the memory shield slowed things down while
capturing video when or when playing graphics intensive games. In version
4.0, the memory shield has not affected graphics intensive games, but I
haven't fully tested its effects on video capture.

Finally, I've noticed that Spy Sweeper 4.5 is out. Webroot subsciption
database has gone slightly haywire at times, but it's improving, and their
customer service people have resolved subscription issues quickly and
courteously.

"Scott" <golden.DeleteThis@uslink.net> wrote in message
news:43498130.20CCD7D4@uslink.net...
> I'm looking at Webroot's Spy Sweeper program to fight spyware and
> adware, since this month's PC World gave it their highest rating.
> It sells for $29.95. It's interesting that PC World named Sunbelt
> Software's Counter Spy their "best buy" a month ago, which is why
> I bought it. Now they say it's not that great. Any opinions on Spy
> Sweeper? Would it work to run both programs on the same computer?
> I'm thinking that they both have a feature that runs in the
> background.
>
> Thanks!
> Scott

Scott · External Since: Aug 05, 2005 Posts: 94

Scott wrote:
>
> I'm looking at Webroot's Spy Sweeper program to fight spyware and
> adware, since this month's PC World gave it their highest rating.
> It sells for $29.95. It's interesting that PC World named Sunbelt
> Software's Counter Spy their "best buy" a month ago, which is why
> I bought it. Now they say it's not that great. Any opinions on Spy
> Sweeper? Would it work to run both programs on the same computer?
> I'm thinking that they both have a feature that runs in the
> background.
>
> Thanks!
> Scott

More thoughts: In this month's PC World, they indicated that original
tests in the Aug 2005 issue were done on the beta 1.5 version of Counter
Spy with a new scan engine, while the most recent tests were done on
the previous v1.2.7. A few days ago, version 1.5 was made available to
users. I'm using it, and it appears to do a much more thorough job. It
takes an hour and a half for a full scan. I believe that Counter Spy has
now been brought up to speed and compares favorably with Spy Sweeper.

Scott

Scott · External Since: Aug 05, 2005 Posts: 94

Scott wrote:
>
> I'm looking at Webroot's Spy Sweeper program to fight spyware and
> adware, since this month's PC World gave it their highest rating.
> It sells for $29.95. It's interesting that PC World named Sunbelt
> Software's Counter Spy their "best buy" a month ago, which is why
> I bought it. Now they say it's not that great. Any opinions on Spy
> Sweeper? Would it work to run both programs on the same computer?
> I'm thinking that they both have a feature that runs in the
> background.
>
> Thanks!
> Scott

More thoughts: In this month's PC World, they indicated that original
tests in the Aug 2005 issue were done on the beta 1.5 version of Counter
Spy with a new scan engine, while the most recent tests were done on
the previous v1.2.7. A few days ago, version 1.5 was made available to
users. I'm using it, and it appears to do a much more thorough job. It
takes an hour and a half for a full scan. I believe that Counter Spy has
now been brought up to speed and compares favorably with Spy Sweeper.

Scott

edelbeb · External Since: Nov 24, 2004 Posts: 8

Spy Sweeper and Counter Spy seem to be playing a game of cat and mouse. Not
just with spyware and adware makers but with each other. The upshot is that
you can't go too far wrong with either Spy Sweeper or Counter Spy. Stay
with what makes you happy. If you've got extra cash, buy both (but only run
one in the background). Better yet, if you have extra cash, send some to
me.

"Scott" <golden DeleteThis @uslink.net> wrote in message
news:434EB6CC.59EFF81B@uslink.net...
>
>
> Scott wrote:
> >
> > I'm looking at Webroot's Spy Sweeper program to fight spyware and
> > adware, since this month's PC World gave it their highest rating.
> > It sells for $29.95. It's interesting that PC World named Sunbelt
> > Software's Counter Spy their "best buy" a month ago, which is why
> > I bought it. Now they say it's not that great. Any opinions on Spy
> > Sweeper? Would it work to run both programs on the same computer?
> > I'm thinking that they both have a feature that runs in the
> > background.
> >
> > Thanks!
> > Scott
>
> More thoughts: In this month's PC World, they indicated that original
> tests in the Aug 2005 issue were done on the beta 1.5 version of Counter
> Spy with a new scan engine, while the most recent tests were done on
> the previous v1.2.7. A few days ago, version 1.5 was made available to
> users. I'm using it, and it appears to do a much more thorough job. It
> takes an hour and a half for a full scan. I believe that Counter Spy has
> now been brought up to speed and compares favorably with Spy Sweeper.
>
> Scott

edelbeb · External Since: Nov 24, 2004 Posts: 8

Spy Sweeper and Counter Spy seem to be playing a game of cat and mouse. Not
just with spyware and adware makers but with each other. The upshot is that
you can't go too far wrong with either Spy Sweeper or Counter Spy. Stay
with what makes you happy. If you've got extra cash, buy both (but only run
one in the background). Better yet, if you have extra cash, send some to
me.

"Scott" <golden.RemoveThis@uslink.net> wrote in message
news:434EB6CC.59EFF81B@uslink.net...
>
>
> Scott wrote:
> >
> > I'm looking at Webroot's Spy Sweeper program to fight spyware and
> > adware, since this month's PC World gave it their highest rating.
> > It sells for $29.95. It's interesting that PC World named Sunbelt
> > Software's Counter Spy their "best buy" a month ago, which is why
> > I bought it. Now they say it's not that great. Any opinions on Spy
> > Sweeper? Would it work to run both programs on the same computer?
> > I'm thinking that they both have a feature that runs in the
> > background.
> >
> > Thanks!
> > Scott
>
> More thoughts: In this month's PC World, they indicated that original
> tests in the Aug 2005 issue were done on the beta 1.5 version of Counter
> Spy with a new scan engine, while the most recent tests were done on
> the previous v1.2.7. A few days ago, version 1.5 was made available to
> users. I'm using it, and it appears to do a much more thorough job. It
> takes an hour and a half for a full scan. I believe that Counter Spy has
> now been brought up to speed and compares favorably with Spy Sweeper.
>
> Scott