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Everything You Wanted to Know About Adware

What is Adware?

Adware is any software installed on your computer that is designed to show you advertisements. It takes the form of additional coding included with a software package that delivers ads, often through a bar that appears on your screen or a series of pop up windows.

Adware Controversy

There is both a good and a bad side to adware. Adware is sometimes good because it helps programmers recover the cost of their programs. This cuts down the cost of software to the user, and allows more shareware or freeware to be released. On the other hand, adware often slows down your PC by occupying your RAM and CPU cycles, and can slow your Internet connection by using bandwidth to retrieve and display advertisements. On a subjective level, some also find adware annoying as it requires time to continuously view and close advertisements.  In addition, adware has come under controversy because it is often closely linked to spyware.

Adware vs. Spyware: Two Different Application Types

Although these two program types are very different, adware often includes spyware, requiring an additional degree of caution. Spyware is a program that tracks a user's personal information as he or she uses the computer, and passes this data on to third parties. This practice has caused controversy among members of Internet privacy groups, because spyware is often run without the user's consent or knowledge. For all these reasons, you may find it prudent to remove adware.

Warning: Removal of Adware May Cause Problems

Before attempting to remove adware, you should be aware that many programs require it to run properly. Some examples of this include Kazaa, a popular client-to-client file-sharing program, and Opera, a free Web browser. These applications, and others, may no longer work once adware is uninstalled.

How to Remove Adware

Removing adware by hand can be difficult. Many programs require adware to run, and those files associated with the software may have misleading names. Fortunately, there are several excellent programs that will remove adware for you, and are provided for free or as free trials. Some of the most popular and most highly recommended programs include: