Microsoft Finally Did Something!

This may be old news to you since I am
always the last one to find out about
everything but Microsoft has finally
done something about spyware.

While I was trying to clean up my
computer on January 10 I accidentally
found out that Microsoft has written
a tool to remove spyware. This tool
also has the capability to detect
when it is being downloaded onto your
computer.

Of course there is no guarantee that it
will catch everything but it does seem to
be better than the other 4 anti-spyware
programs I've tried and right now it's free.

In case you don't want my long story just
go to:

http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/spyware/software/default.mspx

to read about their beta version and
get your free copy.

Here's my story -

I have been using 4 different anti-spyware
programs for the last several months but
knew I was badly infected anyway. You
know the symptoms: slow machine, pop-ups
that weren't blocked, home page set to
some strange place, etc.

And while some of my anti-spyware programs
told me I was infected none of them could
ever totaly remove the infection.

During the first week of January I gave
up and reloaded my operating system. It
hen was able to run on a clean machine
for a few days when things started happening
again. So off I went to get those anti-spyware
programs running.

Now I didn't run the one anti-spyware
program I paid for since I recently read
that some of those paid-for programs actually
load junk on your machine. Instead I ran
the free one given me by my DSL provider.

Since it didn't remove the same junk it
couldn't remove before, I went to Microsoft
to get the free ones they recommended.
(That's where I had gotten the other 2
I had run before.)

That's when I discovered the beta version
of Microsoft's anti-spyware program. Since
they wrote the system I figured they ought
to know how to clean it up so I downloaded it.

I took about 20 minutes for it to do a
complete scan but found 22 things to remove
and it DID remove them.

Now my system seems to be back to its
clean self again!

The good points of this anti-spyware program
are:

1. It catches and removes more spyware.
2. It can be scheduled to run automatically.
3. It has an advanced feature that allows
you to erase some types of things on your
computer.
4. It alerts you when something tries to
change one of your Microsoft files or
settings.
5. Right now it's free.
6. They give automatic updates when available.

The bad points are:

1. I don't know if it catches everything.
2. It may take a little longer than some
other anti-spyware programs (but if it
works better - who cares).
3. The download will expire after a set
time limit (I have 202 days left).

I am not an affiliate for Microsoft - in fact
I am not even an avid supporter of them. I
just use their products because that's what
dominates the market. But if this thing works
I'll use it.

I have no idea how much they are going to
charge for this product when it finishes
its beta trial but I doubt that Bill
will fix his product or protect us for
nothing (not his style).

I am not going to recommend that you
download or try this beta version. I just
want you to be aware that it does exist
and right now it's free.

Here's the link again:

http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/spyware/software/default.mspx

To Your Success,
Susan