Don Penlington wrote (clipped)

<< I do not consider that a program which reports useful info back to a
reputable home is spyware>>

But surely you will agree that the program/spyware/whatever it is should ask your permission before transmitting info to whoever it is and you MUST have the ability to say NO if you so desire prior to the actual transmission process? and when you say "useful info" I presume "useful" to both the user of the program and the receiver of the info

<< Others will have different needs.>>

one of the indisputable need of all of us is system stability and some of these " programs" do strange things where you find that you suddenly are no longer able to do something which you were able to just prior to installation/infestation of the prog.

I distinctly remember a long thread in this forum where it was confidentally asserted that the moment "WORD 2003" has net access it dials up microsoft leaving me in a "to be or not to be " situation becoz at that point i was contemplating office 2003!

have a nice day----Venkat Viswanathan

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