Alexa is spyware/adware.  After I installed WinXP, both Ad-Aware and Spybot found Alexa as a data-miner.  I let them delete it.   It turned up one other time, and I let them delete it again.  If Microsoft installs that with IE6, I think that is outrageous. 

Anna Summers


----- Original Message ----- 
From: Venkat Viswanathan 
To: [log in to unmask] 
Sent: Monday, July 25, 2005 9:47 AM
Subject: [PCSOFT] Alexa


I shall appreciate if any of the members guide me :--

(1) is the subject software a spy ware?

(2) I am seeking this info because i recently downloaded the trialware of a utility called "tuneup utilities 2004" about which i came to know from c/net newsletter and it does seem to have a comprehensive menu

(3) on a run with this and under a menu called "system advisor" it indicates

" the Alexa software which is included with IE-6.0 collects info on surfing habits and sends the info to manufacturer to facilitate related links service"
and gives me an option to "deactivate"

(4) I ran a "FIND FILES/FOLDERS" and it showed 2 zip files and one temp.internet file named Alexa.

(5) the 2 zipfiles are in windows/application data/spybot search&destroy/recovery
and the third one in temp.internet file folders ( I do have spybot search& destroy installed)

(6)I also found one file named alexa in windows/web (folder)

(7) but during regular runs of spybot it has never shown alexa in it's list

In short would it be safe to deactivate it? I do not seem to have any system problems so far--- touch wood

thanks for your help and have a very good day---Venkat Viswanathan

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