Comments on: Group delivers definition of spyware

Newly formed Anti-Spyware Coalition hopes its work will help consumers keep their PCs clean.

[GEBERWEIN]

Define spyware - it's easy.

It's anything that is placed onto a computer for use by a third party to track the use of that computer and report it to another person.

These programs are as proper as a third party tapping a telephone to see who is being called by the subscriber. Placing programs onto the computer of another for the gain of another person or business is tantamount to theft. Marketers and the Federal Fair Trade Commission seem to forget that the individual computers are private property of the owner.

I think it is great that someone is finally stepping up and declaring what is a gross infirngement upon personal privacy.

I agree that a program that suddenly activates and takes control of a computer in such a way it denies the user the ability to use the computer until that program gets finished is also unwanted. One way to foil this operation is to identify the villain and use your security software to block it's ability to access the net.
Gerry Eberwein

[relictele]

Choosing a name is a red herring

Adware, spyware, scumware, sneakware (my preference)...if the user doesn't knowingly install it, doesn't want it or it's difficult/impossible to remove then it is a legitimate target.

The mess sneakware leaves behind puts the lie to anything the sneakwarers say publicly about ethical practices, clean uninstalls, etc. The bottom line is that they will hang on via any means possible. They've got their foot in the door and it won't be closing any time soon.

This is why open source removal tools/companies are so vital (although I use commercial tools also) - the adware types are just baiting the hook waiting for a juicy commercial vendor (let's say CA) to block their scumware - a nice big fat lawsuit will follow and the adware firm will pocket tens of millions in a settlement and go play golf. It beats trying to eke out a living on $.0001 per click-through.

[Karios Kasra]

"spy"-ware

Do we really need a definition, people? Use your intuition.

Besides, the ones offered give too much leeway. "Without adequate knowledge"... can turn into a decade-long court battle over what's considered "adequate knowledge", and face it, sometimes people know what they're installing but they do it anyway for the free porn.

We should just legally call everything spyware so there won't be any loopholes those bastages can crawl through.