Just wondering if spywarebaster is a good thing? I have Ad-Aware installed and run scans quite often and there always seems to be the same data mining files installed. They have the same number of kbs so I am assuming that they are the same data mining files. So it seems that Ad-Aware is doing it's job of singling out the data mining files but not preventing them from being downloaded into my computer. :(

So here's this spywareblaster program that says it will prevent any data mining files from being downloaded so there is no need to run scans. I guess you can't run a systems scan using spywareblaster? These programs just don't give enough info about their proper use and if they will conflict with any other software that is installed in your system.

I know that Norton does not protect against data mining files (this is only obvious because I keep getting the DMFs and my firewall settings are med-high). Basically what it comes down to is that I don't access any financial institutions of any kind while on-line because I don't want anyone to see any of my information that can be used for ill-gotten-gains.

Am I being paranoid? Maybe, but I do still receive pop ups while I'm on sites like eBay which I though was secure. If it's not a scure site then there are many of you who input sensitive information (credit card or bank account numbers) while you're on that site which can be used to benefit others.

The data-mining files you refer to are probably just cookies placed on your computer so ad companies can see where you've been.

Don't take it personally, they don't care who you are; they just use this stuff to get demographics to refine what ads they show you.

Ad-aware (and Europeans in general, this is a German product) are paranoid about privacy.

If it bothers you you can turn off cookies, or restrict them on your computer (IE explorer, tools, privacy....). You don't need 3rd party software to block them. I'd be suspicious of any 3rd party software that does this; just what are THEY selling.

Pop-ups are a different matter. Usually the site you're on has code to open new windows for ads. CNN.com is bad this way. That's normal.

You might have downloaded some free software on your PC that is doing it for you. This stuff is evil. Usually you can tell the difference. Ads that pop up while browsing a web site shouldn't offer competitor's products.

Ad pop up blocking software is out there, but it probably isn't effective against popups generated by other software you inadvertently downloaded. I use Google. Their tool bar (http://toolbar.google.com/) includes pop up blocking capability that works. I also trust google not to do evil things to my PC.

These guys (http://www.wilders.org/spyware.htm) give "Spywareblaster" good grades. Other sites around said pretty much the same. I like their first advice better though: don't download evil software in the first place. Easier said than done though if other people use the same PC.

PS: with win2k and win xp you can set up extra windows users under window's "control panel". You can make the default ID it comes up with restricted so software can't be loaded from those ID's. You reserve the main unrestricted(administrator type) ID for your own use. This way wives, kids, and pets can't load software (they often don't realize they are doing it when a download asks them to click on yes to get free smilies or some such crap).

I dont know anything about spywareblaster.

I can tell you what works to keep 99% of bad things off my computer.

ZoneAlarm personal firewall - Free
http://www.zonelabs.com/store/content/catalog/products/sku_list_za.jsp

Adaware from lavasoft - free
http://www.lavasoftusa.com/software/adaware/

Spy Bot Search and Destroy - free
http://www.safer-networking.org/en/download/

and for the hard to find pests
Bazooka - free
http://www.kephyr.com/spywarescanner/

Beward the newest pest proweling, Home Page Search Assistant the is a new hybred pest that is very very difficult to get rid of.