Originally Posted by EroticySteve

I think it's important though to be fair to distinguish between spyware, adware and viruses. Each are not wholly alike but can have the same effect on your computer.

I am against anything that the user cannot easily get off of their machine. However, I'm all for anything that is a cost of using a free product.

I'm not one to download free aps of any kind because I'm not interested in dealing with the repurcussions of add on software in a download.

However, ADWARE which is often lumped into the spyware category is differentiated as it is more easily removable and it is dispersed by companies who make no bones about the fact that they are putting this on your machine. Gator, now Claria has paid the price for irresponsbile use of their software a few years ago, things are better now and the companies that continue to use adware are doing so responsibly.

The shit that clogs your computer is typically not the product of one of the good guys. It's some foreign hack who's making a penny everytime an ad pops on your screen.

If it's malicious, invasive, difficult or impossible to remove I hate it. However, if to use FREE smileys you must have a piece of software on your computer I have no problem with it. I guess it comes down to knowledge and ease of removal and non-invasive practices by the supporting company.