[thoughtomator]

Well, if your security settings are unmodified from when you bought it, this stuff will get installed left and right without any notification to the user.

I had to clean out my uncle's computer this weekend, he was completely unable to use it due to saturation with spyware and ad-ware. He literally could not open a browser without something like 40 windows of ads opening. And he is definitely not the type to say 'yes' to something unless he wants it - all this stuff got downloaded and installed on his machine without his knowledge. When it started popping up ads for pics of naked 4-14-year-olds he finally got mad enough about it to arrange to get it fixed.

I removed over 170 different spyware/malware applications on his machine. This machine is about 1 year from the factory.

By the way, disturbingly enough - one of those programs was installed by Dell at the factory, no joke.

[TomServo]

Well, if your security settings are unmodified from when you bought it, this stuff will get installed left and right without any notification to the user.

Which is why I have my family call me when they get a new machine. I do the setup.

And he is definitely not the type to say 'yes' to something

Which is my problem. They think they can go anywhere, accept anything and all is OK. I guess they think they can drive a car down the road with their hands off the wheel and their head poked out the window..

By the way, disturbingly enough - one of those programs was installed by Dell at the factory, no joke.

There's no excuse for that. I would've been on the phone in a heartbeat.

[Mr_Peter]

"I removed over 170 different spyware/malware applications on his machine. "

Can you tell me where to get a list of them? I finally installed zonealarm pro on my home network. Works great. Blocks the popups, blocks most of the porn, and keeps my kids worked up when they sometimes can't go where they want to go.

[MizSterious]

"By the way, disturbingly enough - one of those programs was installed by Dell at the factory, no joke."

Interesting, that. Was your uncle told, as we were, that anti-spyware should NOT be installed on a Dell computer? I thought it odd, but one of the Dell techies told me, at least, that installing any of it might make my warranty invalid. So maybe they have a stake in keeping us loaded down with internet crud?