Spyware, Adware, etc. -- Terms and Common Sense

When reading an article where some term often used, it is useful to ensure that the author of the article and you mean the same thing. It is not surprising for those who still remember English lessons at school, every noun ending with "conservation" is a mixture of objects with one thing in common - most often used for similar purposes . Thus, it tends to be the "real" is short for "software" is sometimes difficult to determine what type of software includes those programs and do.



If the words "adware" and "spyware" are used in an article as synonyms (sometimes even experienced journalists make such a mistake), the reader wonder why so many words for the same things. Since programmers and gurus do not read all these articles, an average user feels bewildered when he finished reading. Too many terms with too vague meaningsit is nothing more than my personal impression, because I'm not a programmer or a guru - but a linguist. I'm still working on a head and tail it.



Spyware, adware, malware, what else? - Route true, true staircase, crapware, junk true, true snoop players have heard a lot about browser hijackers, dialers, keyloggers, cookies, BHO, Trojan horses, viruses, worms What a motley crew! Is it possible for the average person, non-tech many definitions and their prickly relationship between them, remember? This is part of what? Looking through different definitions of "spyware" in some articles, it will muddle and confusion instead of clarity.



Well to find, we'll use common sense. Fortunately, it is sometimes easy to guess the type of a program that makes such programs do - Let's try. A browser hijacker is software that turns browsers (and a few other nasty things). Correct. A keylogger is software that records keystrokes (ditto). Exactly.Adware is a software used for targeted advertising. Well, yes. There must be many kinds of programs are methods of advertising. Pop-up flood is also method of advertising. Is hijacking a browser also an approach to advertising?



If so, those responsible for these annoying browser hijackers have somehow perverted logic.And what to keep potential customers? This is precisely the point where "adware" and "spyware" meet. People tend to all the unwanted software "spyware talk" because these programs are installed without user consent. Butnobody never done any advertising in print or on television. Do you watch a string of almost only? Would you buy a single magazine ads? Online advertising just follows the tendency (sometimes excessive) exposure to a user to write ads - all spyware cost.



Is used for spying, as one might infer from the name? Yes and not. If software collects information and transmits it through such a program is automatically called "spyware" whatever the value of information. That is why keyloggers (programs specially created for capturing keystrokes) and cookies are both called "spyware". Well, if cookies and BHOs are kinds of spyware - then a unicycle and roller skates are vehicles. When you call these programs "spyware" we should at least think about what they "steal" and how this information is used.



Other terms are rather difficult, but sometimes amusing.Terms "crapware" and "junk" n were not very good, but they see the attitude of this software instead of meaning something clear. "Malware" is too broad and general. When we hear that some malware is called, he has no idea what kind of software it is. The division of malware and benign, like all parties, for example, as in plants and edible uneatable.As for viruses, worms and Trojans, the fauna (not paying any attention to the laws of biology ) has the hybrids between them that no genetic engineering could possibly dream.