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General discussion

Spyware question

Feb 8, 2005 12:42PM PST

I'm currently using Spybot and Ad-Aware. Would it be a good idea to throw the new MS Antispyware into the mix? It's hard to imagine those two having left (missed) anything, but I suppose it's possible.

Discussion is locked

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Yes, very good idea
Feb 8, 2005 9:38PM PST

I also use Spywareblaster, and a firewall and an anti-virus.

Mark

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MS AntiSpyware Beta
Feb 9, 2005 10:23AM PST

It won't hurt.

The good thing is that it "guards" little things that the others can't. If you are not into PC maintenance and want to leave it up to software to "cover your kiester," then it's good, I think. To those I would recommend installing it and turning every option in it on, so that it's active all the time. To those who use IE I doubly recommend it. (I find it ironic that it's mainly to protect those who use the browser of the same company because that's how most of the bugs it finds get in.)

If you like doing your own PC maintenance, know what you're doing and are careful, I would install it to run manually once in a while, but leave it "inactive."

If you use Firefox like me, it will have very little to do. Neither it nor Adaware has found any spyware or bug after using only Firefox. Twice, and only twice, MSAS found something after a browsing session with IE, and each time it was only one minor thing it found. Also, running Adaware directly after MSAS after an IE session has found a bug that MSAS didn't find, while the reverse has always been negative.

So, my own conclusion for Firefox users is:

MSAS does watch a few things that other spyware programs may not, but it will most likely be unnecessary in a PC where the user uses Firefox exclusively. It won't hurt to have for sessions where IE is necessary, but Adaware seems to find things it ignores anyway.

As long as it's freeware, it won't hurt to keep testing it.

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Concur with timwerx...
Feb 9, 2005 11:02PM PST

After running MSAS initially it has found nothing recently. Use Firefox mainly with IE only in special instances.

I also use the other usual cleanup programs and preventive software such as SpywareBlaster, SpywareGuard, Spybot Immunize, etc.

Good luck!

Glenn

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I would suggest...
Feb 10, 2005 7:37AM PST

waiting til it's been in use for awhile and bugs found and worked-out.