Microsoft is once again trying to limit users to using only their products.
Windows Defender may be a good antispyware program but Microsoft ought to
give the computer's owner the option to uninstall it if they so desire. I've
been using Spybot for a number of years and although it is a bit finicky at
times, it is the best I've seen lately but it must be properly configured
through the advance mode for it to perform efficiently.

Rick Kirchoff wrote:

Microsoft is once again trying to limit users to using only their
products. Windows Defender may be a good antispyware program but
Microsoft ought to give the computer's owner the option to uninstall
it if they so desire. I've been using Spybot for a number of years


There's no problem using both of them. In fact, no single anti-spyware
product is good enough to protect you completely, and you need at least two.
Note what Eric Howes, who has done extensive testing on Anti-Spyware
products, states:

"No single anti-spyware scanner removes everything. Even the best-performing
anti-spyware scanner in these tests missed fully one quarter of the
"critical" files and Registry entries" See
http://spywarewarrior.com/asw-test-guide.htm

I personally run Windows Defender, Spybot Search and Destroy, Adaware, and
Spyware Blaster.

--
Ken Blake - Microsoft MVP Windows: Shell/User
Please reply to the newsgroup



and although it is a bit finicky at times, it is the best I've seen
lately but it must be properly configured through the advance mode
for it to perform efficiently.

"Rick Kirchoff" wrote in message
...
Microsoft is once again trying to limit users to using only their
products.
Windows Defender may be a good antispyware program but Microsoft ought to
give the computer's owner the option to uninstall it if they so desire.
I've
been using Spybot for a number of years and although it is a bit finicky
at
times, it is the best I've seen lately but it must be properly configured
through the advance mode for it to perform efficiently.


Just turn Defender off. That's what I did. I use SpySweeper and AGV
anti-virus instead.

"Rick Kirchoff" wrote
Microsoft is once again trying to limit users to using only their
products.
Windows Defender may be a good antispyware program but Microsoft ought to
give the computer's owner the option to uninstall it if they so desire.
I've
been using Spybot for a number of years and although it is a bit finicky
at
times, it is the best I've seen lately but it must be properly configured
through the advance mode for it to perform efficiently.

It doesn't have to be either or. Also although Defender can't be
uninstalled, it can be turned off.

--
Rock [MS-MVP User/Shell]

I was able to turn off Windows Defender but that still does not make it
right. To me, it is now a program that is hogging up valuable hard drive
space. I wonder what would happen to Vista's stability if I were to manually
remove Windows Vista through Safe Mode and the Registry.

"Rock" wrote:

"Rick Kirchoff" wrote
Microsoft is once again trying to limit users to using only their
products.
Windows Defender may be a good antispyware program but Microsoft ought to
give the computer's owner the option to uninstall it if they so desire.
I've
been using Spybot for a number of years and although it is a bit finicky
at
times, it is the best I've seen lately but it must be properly configured
through the advance mode for it to perform efficiently.

It doesn't have to be either or. Also although Defender can't be
uninstalled, it can be turned off.

--
Rock [MS-MVP User/Shell]

"Rick Kirchoff" wrote
I was able to turn off Windows Defender but that still does not make it
right. To me, it is now a program that is hogging up valuable hard drive
space. I wonder what would happen to Vista's stability if I were to
manually
remove Windows Vista through Safe Mode and the Registry.

"Rock" wrote:

"Rick Kirchoff" wrote
Microsoft is once again trying to limit users to using only their
products.
Windows Defender may be a good antispyware program but Microsoft ought
to
give the computer's owner the option to uninstall it if they so desire.
I've
been using Spybot for a number of years and although it is a bit
finicky
at
times, it is the best I've seen lately but it must be properly
configured
through the advance mode for it to perform efficiently.

It doesn't have to be either or. Also although Defender can't be
uninstalled, it can be turned off.

You're worried about the disk space? Go ahead, remove "Windows Vista
through Safe Mode and the Registry". Vista might not run if Vista is
removed, eh?

--
Rock [MS-MVP User/Shell]