Ad Aware Scam??

Without fail every board gets the inevitable "what's wrong with my computer?" question www.abovetopsecret.com... followed by the obligatory try Ad Aware V6.0 response. I've tried Ad Aware and yes it's free and so-so (though I personally prefer to toss my cache and cookies) but I just can't believe that people who are smart enough, curious enough, and web savvy, would continue to post the ubiquitous question whose answer always seems to be Ad Aware V6.0 .

Was the post a shill? Why do people robotically repeat Ad Aware V6.0 as a panacea when in fact it is a mediocre tool for a lazy minded user?

[Edited on 20-3-2004 by deevee]

You have got to be kidding me. :shk:

Originally posted by deevee
Was the post a shill? Why do people robotically repeat Ad Aware V6.0 as a panacea when in fact it is a mediocre tool for a lazy minded user?

And no the post was not a shill. Ad Aware is pretty good program thats easy to use and gets the job done. There are other programs out there but I find it the easiest too use.

Well, I am someone who didn't like Ad Aware at all. I had Cookie Crusher for awhile too. Better, but not much.

Now I have Norton firewall, which gets rid of ads and pop ups. And Norton anit-virus, with at least seekly live updates. And, then a weekly dose of SptBot.

Originally posted by DontTreadOnMe
Now I have Norton firewall, which gets rid of ads and pop ups. And Norton anit-virus, with at least seekly live updates. And, then a weekly dose of SptBot.

Spy Bot is also another good program.

I use Ad-Aware and Spybot. I find that if one of them misses something, the other will pick it up.

Even better than both of them is SpySweeper by WebRoot...digs MUCH deeper than AdAware and SpyBot...

Originally posted by Pisky
I use Ad-Aware and Spybot. I find that if one of them misses something, the other will pick it up.

My preferred approach as well. The experts can also try Hijack This. You can find everything that program does in your registry, but it saves you some time. Why waste half an hour searching your registry when a program can do it in seconds?

The reason for using an automated program is because large comprehensive lists of the footprint or signature of various spyware/adware are maintained, allowing the software to differentiate between something legit and useless crap. Unfortunately I have seen one major drawback with Ad Award in that it doesnt manage resources well and seems to get sluggish when checking extremely large ammounts of files, and sometimes it even crashes.

Originally posted by deevee
(though I personally prefer to toss my cache and cookies) but I just can't believe that people who are smart enough, curious enough, and web savvy, would continue to post the ubiquitous question whose answer always seems to be Ad Aware V6.0 .

Was the post a shill? Why do people robotically repeat Ad Aware V6.0 as a panacea when in fact it is a mediocre tool for a lazy minded user?

[Edited on 20-3-2004 by deevee]

not everyone knows how to dump their cookies and such, using their web browser, adaware, or spybot, or any of those such programs are really helpful for those people that lack computer knowledege. these programs are helpful for those that do have computer knowledge as well, and yes it may be lazy, but ive found things with adaware and spybot, even after dumping my cookies, and cashe.

Ad Aware along with HijackThis will more than get the job done, have had nothing but good luck with both of these programs, just most opinion.

And the most comprehensive solution of all, to avoid aggressive pop-ups, auto-install ActiveX applets, e-mail viruses, and other nastiness is to use a Mac.

I myself use wash-all. Removes all

That a good way out to SO, for some reason they just dont seem to like MACS.

Spywareblaster prevents the things from getting on your computer in the first place! It is freeware too.

www.javacoolsoftware.com...

Of course you run Adaware 6.0 first, to throw out the rubbish. But every time I run it nowadays, it has very few things to remove.

Originally posted by deevee Ad Aware Scam??

I'm not sure *where* the "scam" is here?

According to Ultralingua, "Scam" = A fraudulent business scheme?

I'm not sure *who* is being defrauded here? As freeware, Adaware is not making anything out of it (although they mention you can upgrade to a "bought" version of course - just as ZoneAlarm do).

If the intention is to imply that people who are advised to download and run Adaware, in an attempt to improve their computers performance, are being "defrauded" - again, I'm not at all sure where the harm lies? Whilst running Adaware might not lead to performance improvements, I doubt that any harm is done??

As for me, I think spyware is insidious and anything that can expediate it's removal is "OK"!!

Just my two pence....

Originally posted by SkipShipman
Spywareblaster prevents the things from getting on your computer in the first place! It is freeware too.

www.javacoolsoftware.com...

Can you run SpywareBlaster as well as running Norton Firewall. I ask this because I see PC World classes SpywareBlaster as a firewall.

Of course you run Adaware 6.0 first, to throw out the rubbish. But every time I run it nowadays, it has very few things to remove.

Originally posted by DontTreadOnMeCan you run SpywareBlaster as well as running Norton Firewall. I ask this because I see PC World classes SpywareBlaster as a firewall.

Hi DTOM!!

Well, I use SpywareBlaster (and Spybot S&D - and Adaware!!) with both Zonealarm and BlackICE as firewalls - no conflicts noticed here.

Give it a go - you can always uninstall if you're not happy!!

DontTreadOnMe, I have run SpywareBlaster on the same machine as Norton Internet Security (which includes their personal firewall), AdAware, Spybot, and PeerGuardian - all without conflicts.

Originally posted by Genya

Give it a go - you can always uninstall if you're not happy!!

So far so good!
My thanks to you and SkipShipman for this great new tool.
Can't be too careful with that spyware junk!