Its been with us since 1993, its gotten more intrusive, more complicated.

Its created a whole ecosystem, so to speak.

A person sits somewhere, writing a new virus, a new application of Spyware. It is put onto the Internet and Anti-Virus and Anti-Spyware vendors begin to develop definitions to combat it, maybe even to stop it permanently. These fixes are incorporated into the new versions of the software they sell, or distribute as freeware.

Existing companies, businesses, and users struggle to keep up with what to use, overwhelmed, their lifeline to the Internet depends on it. In this portion of the ecosystem you have;

The end user. YOU!

Your Internet Provider, Hosting Service, ect.

The businesses on the Internet, all of em.

The existing companies and vendors providing the Anti-Virus and Anti-Spyware Programs.

Adding to this ecosystem, new companies start up to get into the rapidly exploding business, marketing their own software.

More additions occur as new businesses start up to sell the software the companies have produced.

New and old online users buy upgraded and new software to try and protect their personal information from being stolen. Interlaced into all the above is the knowledge required to know how to protect ourselves with the basics. A hardware or software Firewall, Anti-Virus and Anti-Spyware.

Whew! Ok, rest.

Point to ponder while resting.recent eWeek.com tests reveal that some Vendors are failing to provide solutions when it comes to finding and permanently destroying Viruses and Spyware.

Rested? Then lets look at it from another angle shall we?

Without the person somewhere in the world writing the virus or Spyware, there would be no need for the person that is writing the program to combat it. There would be no need for the company that employs the person writing the programs to combat the virus or Spyware. No need for the Businesses that sell the programs the company markets.

Still with me? Good. And finally, No need for the user, you, to protect yourself. I hope this lil exercise has proved informative.

Take Care.

Doug Woodall

No newcomer to Spyware, Doug Woodall has 12 years of experience. He has been online since 1993. Presented with a Commodore 64 for his Birthday in 1983, it didn?t take long for him to become hooked to the online world. There was no Internet then, he says, just Bulletin Board Services. "Today I see a lot of headlines about Identity Theft and I wonder why?" questions Doug. "Education is the key when using the Internet. Your personal information is your property, why give it away to someone who will use it for financial gain?" "The question I get most often is, 'Why is my computer so slow?' You should see the look on their face when I tell them it?s probably Spyware." Doug Woodall has recently put together a Website called SpywareBiz to provide free information and recommended products to combat Spyware. He started SpywareBiz to help educate and protect those who are unaware of the dangers online. A new out of the box computer put online without proper protection can be compromised in less than 20 minutes! He is a member of the IWA (International Webmasters Association) and he also runs a Blog where users can post problems and questions concerning Spyware. Doug's site has already won several awards, including the Elite Learning Fountain Award. Accessibility of information is a important aspect of Doug's Website. His expertise in trouble-shooting Spyware is available at his site, SpywareBiz.com Doug believes education is paramount concerning Spyware. At his site he provides the latest free information and recommended products that he hopes will provide the answers his visitors are looking for.