The world wide web is a vast arena of good and bad and the word FREE is everywhere, did you know that FREE can be a four letter word. Spyware is a big problem for today's computers and Spyware has surpassed viruses as one of the most destructive problems when it come to your computer. Currently there are almost 80,000 known viruses and millions of way to get Spyware on your computer. The biggest problem with Spyware is that it's like a bad relative, it comes for a visit, then it stays forever. And to make it worse most of the time, unlike a virus, you invite it in and give it free rain of your computer. I hear everyday in my computer store " I did do anything it just showed up", but usually after asking a few more question I find it all started with something they downloaded that was supposedly FREE!

When is come to computers FREE is a very misunderstood word. Do you remember when your mother or grandmother told you nothing is life is FREE, you should of listened. FREE is a misleading term, I don't work for free, you don't work for free and neither do these company's on the Internet who claim its FREE. There is always a catch and most of the time there is a trade off. Let me explain, Hey computer user, you can have this tool for free if you let us track all your movement and sell that information to other company's, but don't worry its all free, and we will also give your email address to all of our other friends (now remember the list of their friends it long, in the millions). Most of the time this is all in the fine print (which most people don't read) or not even listed, many of the websites and company's on the web are in other country's that don't really regulated truth in advertising. Now don't get me wrong, everyone is not out to get you, but the web is a big place, I mean big, millions and millions of website all wanting something from you. So, you might ask me, what can I do to keep Spyware off my computer? It is really a simply answer, ask questions, a lot of questions and really make sure you know why it is free and what it the trade off or real price of this free thing.

Example, Google Tool bar is FREE, why is it free, if you read the terms of service for having the tool bar it says if you let Google be your default search tool they will give you a handy tool bar for easy searches and a great pop blocker. Now I like Google and use it every day, I hate pop-up's I consider this a good trade so I installed it and have used it since it came out, so do I mind that Google keeps track of what I search for, no I don't. Now this is a basic example but you can now understand what I mean.

Now let me give you a bad example, There are many sites that you will encounter that will say, hey you need to download out special tool bar to see our site, this should be a red flag, why there tool bar? The answer is usually is because they want you to see the websites that will pay them money for sales or visits by you. This happens all the time. Most of these tool bar claim to save you lots of money, the only problem it the only take you to websites that pay them to bring them customers. Now some people might says what's wrong with that. The big problem they control were you go and want you see. They also let other company and programs on your computer and don't even ask your permission, why because you already gave it when you signed up and installed the tool bar, and once again remember they have millions of friends. Installing these tool bar is like agree to use a new great credit card that is suppose to save you lots of money and bring you great deals, then you find out you can only use the card at certain stores and restaurants that pay kick backs to the credit card company. Once again you might say so what, the choices they give you are small and specific, they want you to only go to one or two stores, the ones that pay them the most for bringing you to them. Now remember the million of friends they have they also limit you and sign you up for all kinds of thing you don't even want. Next thing you know, you can only go when and were they say, you are no longer a free web user, you are a slave to the tool bars owner and all his friends. After a while there are so many of these program on your computer that is slows down freezes and dies a horrible death. You and your computer are a slave to these Spyware programs, and like I talked about in other articles, not all of the programs are harmless. Some of the really bad one you never even see till its too late. They have already taken all your email address of all your friends, they know where you go and what you like, some even may take personal information from your computer file without you even knowing. So be careful and watch yourself, next time you see something for FREE, ask questions lots of questions.