the surprise is it comes from Microsoft.

I have been fighting spyware on my office computers for a long time. My typical battleplan was to run adaware, then Spybot, then Baooka. After which I would run them again to see what the 3 couldn't remove. Then I tried a number of tricks to break them when I couldn't remove them.

Finally this morning after being unsusccessful on a coworker's computer and after scheduling a time to format her computer and reinstall everything, I decided to give Microsoft's program a try. I shied away from it before since it is in Beta Release and well...its Micosoft.

It was beautiful. It has all the tools I wished SPybot and adaware had. It also lists all the locations it found the spyware when its done searching.

Plus it runs a real time scan, resets hijacked browser and search stuff. Everytime spyware tries to install itself it pops up a message asking you what to do with it.

And best of all it removed the stuff I couldn't using my traditional methods.

Its now my first step when somebody reports spyware problems. I'm seriously considering spending the time installing it on all the computers as a pre-emptive strike.

Go here to get it.

http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/spyware/software/default.mspx

If they decide to sell this after the Beta release I will gladly fork out my boss's money for it.

Steve G. (not affiliated with Microsoft in any way unless you count the MS Logo permanantly affixed to my backside)