Lavasoft now charging for Adaware.

[P.Pilcher]

I have been using Adaware as one of my defences against irritating software ever since the adware/malware problem appeared several years ago. Originally it was free, but I forked out a one off fee to get the Adaware SE package which included its continuous on line blocker, Adwatch. This meant that neither adaware or spybot had much if any work to do when I ran them. Over the last six months or so, Lavasoft have been generating much hype about their soon to be released new version of their adaware programme. Of course, for them, the most improtant feature of this new software is to ensure you pay a yearly licence fee to keep it up to date!
I am glad that I have kept my concience clear by making a small contribution to spybot now and then which I hope will remain free. Has anybody got any other suggestions for malware removal and protection systems which are free to replace lavasoft's.

P.P.

[Keef]

I had the same message from Adaware today but I thought it was an invitation to upgrade to an enhanced version (for about $9).

I thought "I'll do that: for $9 it's worth it." When I clicked on the button, it then asked me to pay £14 plus VAT, at which point I closed that screen and updated the free version. $9 is £4.50 as near as makes no difference - I couldn't see what the other £10 that US customers don't pay was going to buy me, so....

[Tarq57]

Adaware do still provide a free version, no need to pay for it unless you want the resident shield.
I use SpywareTerminator, which is freeware, and has a resident shield and HIPS, and is, I believe, vastly superior. Apart from Windows Defender, it's the only free antispyware that includes realtime protection.
Other worthy scanners with free (demand) versions available include Superantispyware (excellent) AVG AS, Asquared, and Spybot, of course.
AVG also make a free rootkit remover, as do a couple of others.
SpywareBlaster is an excellent and popular tool for blocking known bad sites and activex, uses no resource once the block is applied. Winpatrol guards several system settings not quite in realtime, and every time something changes one of those settings, homepage for example, alerts the user.
http://www.spywareterminator.com/
http://www.superantispyware.com/
http://www.emsisoft.com/en/software/download/
http://free.grisoft.com/doc/20/lng/us/tpl/v5
http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/
http://www.winpatrol.com/