I know you've come to this site looking for auction information - and I thank you for visiting. Since you've linked to this page I hope however you'll give me a moment to indulge in a bit of a personal crusade.

Spyware/Adware - in its most basic form is software that is loaded on your computer without your knowledge or permission. When you are connected to the internet the software is capable of transmitting information about your surfing habits, spending habits, etc back to the their data collection facilities. This data is then collated for direct marketing purposes. A lot of this crap is poorly written and can wreak havoc with your computer. These downloads take place when you visit certain websites and often are bundled with other software.

It gets worse

Other software will change your computers operating files and insinuate themselves in your Windows registry. You may find your search engine defaults have been changed, items get added to your bookmarks, your homepage has been changed, you now get pop-ups from all your favorite sites, etc....the list goes on. Still other software called dialers will attempt to dial up adult sites when you connect to the internet.

Spyware can be extremely difficult to remove manually.

Simply deleting files is not always an effective measure. You first must be prepared to identify the files, and then be prepared to edit your Windows registry for files that have been installed there. It can get tricky attempting manual removal.

At a minimum, you will gradually see your computer slowing down as spyware sucks up valuable resources. At worst you will experience lockups and frozen screens and may even have to re-install your operating system (this was the experience of a friend whose son downloaded a number of music sharing programs).

If you are interested in knowing if your computer is infected with spyware/adware you can Click Here for a free software download that will scan your computer for infected files. (This software is produced by a very reputable company - feel free to check them out) Whether you choose to purchase the software after you scan your system is entirely up to you - however you will at least know that kind of stuff is lurking on your hard drive. I've been using the software for awhile now and am quite happy with it. However, if its not for you it can easily be uninstalled.