spybot question

Me · External Since: Oct 26, 2004 Posts: 24

Just downloaded SB 1.3 and when I run it, it finds an Alexa entry.

Googling on this gives mixed messages about it.

What do you think/know?

FromTheRafters · External Since: Sep 19, 2003 Posts: 1207

"Me" wrote in message
> Just downloaded SB 1.3 and when I run it, it finds an Alexa entry.
>
> Googling on this gives mixed messages about it.
>
> What do you think/know?

I think that it is up to you to decide whether or not you desire
this feature. Some "spyware" actually *does* enhance your
browsing experience just as some "adware" is legitimate for
ad supported freeware. It is not *all* malware as some believe.

Jan Il · External Since: May 30, 2004 Posts: 139

"Me" wrote in message

> Just downloaded SB 1.3 and when I run it, it finds an Alexa entry.
>
> Googling on this gives mixed messages about it.
>
> What do you think/know?
>

I have WinME, and when I run SpyBot it generally find the Alexa along with a
few others. I just tell it to clean and it takes care of everything. I
have never had a problem with my system or any programs not operating
properly because of this. But, if you are not sure, then just have that one
omitted from the fix list.

HTH

Jan Smile

GSV Three Minds in a Can · External Since: Apr 23, 2004 Posts: 210

Bitstring , from the
wonderful person Me said
>Just downloaded SB 1.3 and when I run it, it finds an Alexa entry.
>
>Googling on this gives mixed messages about it.
>
>What do you think/know?

Yes, it will find the Alexa related stuff on all WinXP IE6.x
installations, iirc.
It is not 'really' spyware (says MS, who ISTR put it there in the first
place) on the other hand it isn't actually necessary either, so you can
safely trash it (I did).

--
GSV Three Minds in a Can
Outgoing Msgs are Turing Tested,and indistinguishable from human typing.

David Qunt · External Since: May 14, 2004 Posts: 2

"FromTheRafters" squirted these wordjisms deep inside
the bumtube of the newstwat in

> "Me" wrote in message
>
>> Just downloaded SB 1.3 and when I run it, it finds an Alexa entry.
>>
>> Googling on this gives mixed messages about it.
>>
>> What do you think/know?
>
> I think that it is up to you to decide whether or not you desire
> this feature. Some "spyware" actually *does* enhance your
> browsing experience just as some "adware" is legitimate for
> ad supported freeware. It is not *all* malware as some believe.
>
>
>

Spyware and adware do constitute the definition of malware if a) you didn't
deliberately decide to install it, and b) it does something you would
rather it didn't. No excuses, end of.

If you install something and spyware piggybacks in on it unbeknowst to you,
then that something, spyware or whatever, is technically a trojan.

In my opinion, obviously.

--
*********************************
* David Qunt
* (remove '200' from email address to reply by email)
* ******************************************************

FromTheRafters · External Since: Sep 19, 2003 Posts: 1207

"David Qunt" wrote in message
> "FromTheRafters" squirted these wordjisms deep inside
> the bumtube of the newstwat in
>
> > "Me" wrote in message
> >
> >> Just downloaded SB 1.3 and when I run it, it finds an Alexa entry.
> >>
> >> Googling on this gives mixed messages about it.
> >>
> >> What do you think/know?
> >
> > I think that it is up to you to decide whether or not you desire
> > this feature. Some "spyware" actually *does* enhance your
> > browsing experience just as some "adware" is legitimate for
> > ad supported freeware. It is not *all* malware as some believe.
> >
> >
> >
>
>
> Spyware and adware do constitute the definition of malware if a) you didn't
> deliberately decide to install it,

Did you deliberately install Windows and IE/OE? Alexa is
part of that "deliberate" installation (and IIRC it comes back
sometimes if you visit WindowsUpdate - deliberately).

I didn't deliberately decide to have websites place cookies on
my machine, yet my browsing experience is enhanced somewhat
by sites I visit addressing me by name and displaying things of
interest to me instead of generic 'one size fits all' offerings. Cookies
are only one aspect of what is commonly called "spyware" by many
people and programs.

> and b) it does something you would
> rather it didn't.

I have never installed a program that didn't do something I rather it
didn't do - in fact my "MailWasher" give me a close look at papa
smurf's butt almost every time I close it.

> No excuses, end of.

So, *everything* is malware in your view?

> If you install something and spyware piggybacks in on it unbeknowst to you,
> then that something, spyware or whatever, is technically a trojan.

Just because someone doesn't know what a program does,
doesn't mean that that program is malware. Most of the time
the "not knowing" person is just uninformed because he or she
didn't read the documentation that came with the program.

> In my opinion, obviously.

Everything is malware because you don't know everything it
does, (some of which you would rather it not do) and you
didn't give your explicit permission, for each and every function
that the program performs, to execute.

I feel that that is too wide a definition to be useful.

....but of course you are welcome to it. ;o)

Tom Randy · External Since: May 14, 2004 Posts: 3

On Fri, 14 May 2004 21:30:54 +0100, Conor wrote:

> In article ,
> Me DeleteThis @graceland.co.uk says...
>> Just downloaded SB 1.3 and when I run it, it finds an Alexa entry.
>>
>> Googling on this gives mixed messages about it.
>>
>> What do you think/know?
>>
> Its part of Windows.

I believe it's part of a "feature" of IE related to "related links".