There are a number of available anti-spyware software available in the market. And as such it is very difficult to choose from among them.
To you, if you are a lay person, any name and all names might sound the same. In a way, they might be the same too.
But, do not go for a software that you have never yet heard of. Read reviews on the net and then buy one.
And, for god’s sake, do not click on every link that pops up in your internet explorer demanding to be the best anti spyware in the world.
They might be lying, for one, or else, even worse, they might actually be other spyware software parading as a friend into your precious computer.
Saying that, there are a lot of choices. And some of the options are quite good too. Since most of the personal computers run on Windows, the immediate choice for you might be to go for the free download that Microsoft is giving Windows users recently.
Microsoft acquired recently the Giant AntiSpyware software, renamed it Windows AntiSpyware beta and released it as a free download from its website for Windows 2000, Windows XP and Windows 2003 users.
Microsoft renamed the beta software in 2006 as Widows Defender, or, going by its version name, beta 2.
The new and rechristened software as of now exist as a time-limited test level product.
However, the validity of beta 1 will expire in July 2006, and beta 2 will terminate in December, 2006.
Microsoft, however, has announced that the product will come free with its recently released operating system, Windows Vista.
There are, however, a lot of other options available for your personal computer. You do not necessarily have to go with the Microsoft solution.
For example, you have, say, Lavasoft’s Ad-aware, a very reliable free anti-spyware software, it scans the hard disk clean in an Windows XP platform.
There are many programmers and some commercial firms which have released designed products which helps you remove or block spyware from your system.
Steve Gibson’s OptOut, was, as such, the first anti-spyware program and in a way it pioneered the growing category.
Gibbons system had been attacked by spyware and he was the first to detect the full purport of the spyware.
Programs such as Patrick Kolla’s innovatively named Spybot- Search and Destroy rapidly gained in popularity as perfect tools that help to remove from a system, the irritating spyware.
In some cases, these programs are also able to prevent spyware programs from getting into your system in the first place.
Among other good anti-spyware products are PC Tools’ Spyware Doctor, XoftSpy from ParetoLogic, Sunbelt’s CounterSpy and Webroots Spy Sweeper.
Major players in the anti-virus business came into the anti-spyware business a little later. Firms like Symantec, McAfee or Sophos reached the table later than expected.
Whatever you go for, be sure to go for one. For, it is not probably the case that you want sudden pop-ups randomly materializing on your screen or your e-mail password getting known by spammers half the world across?
