Top Three Hiding Spots For Adware
Adware can be found in all kinds of places on the Internet. Whether you get it from a website or while downloading a program, there doesn’t seem to be a way to get away from it. Although this seems to be true, we will discuss in this article some of the main places where adware lies hidden so you will have less of a chance of having your computer invaded by its presence.
1. Freeware: Watch out for this one. Freeware are various programs that a creator is “giving away”. You can go to the website and download the software for free. The problem is, the creator of the freeware wants recognition and compensation for their time. Of course, you should not confuse freeware with open-source software, which has code that can be modified by the user (you).
Creators of freeware aren’t supposed to request payment from those who download them since by its name, it is free. As an alternative, they may add adware programming into the freeware they create. They may also foot the bill for their own cost or solicit donations. More than likely, they will bundle in the adware because they probably don’t want to use their own cash and people may not want to give a donation. Shareware:
2. Shareware: Shareware is almost the same as freeware, in that it is software that can be downloaded from a website. Creators of shareware will ask for a donation for use of the software rather than giving it away free. The voluntary fee helps the creator keep the site up and running and helps to cover the costs of updates. Users have the option to pay, but are not required, rather the creators rely on peoples honesty. Since paying the fee to use the software is not a requirement to use the supplement their income, some creators use adware in their programs supplement their income. Other than freeware, shareware is the second most popular place to hide adware.
Expecting everyone to be honest is quite a leap of faith. This is why adware often shows up shareware, people just don’t pay. Advertiser pay good money to have their adware put into the shareware programs. This helps the creator keep the shareware site up and running. Without the use of adware, many shareware sites would go the way of the dinosaur.
Peer-to-peer Applications (P2P) – P2P software can also come bundled with adware, although not as much as it did in the past. Kazaa is a prime example of it, as, despite the initial controversy, adware bundling made the continued funding of Kazaa possible.
Knowing the most common areas on the Internet where adware hides can give you more confidence when downloading free or nearly free software. You now know when to be the most careful when getting software for free. But don’t be too afraid, not all adware is bad. The good new is there are tools and security systems that can remove the adware for you. There is some really free software out there that rivals the better-known commercial software. So, if you find really great software that is free, go for it.
Susan Reynolds is the webmaster for a leading Spyware Removal Software brand. For more information visit: http://www.spywareremovaldoc.com
