The only thing I tend to find all the time is a double click cookie too, which is not the end of the world. Ordinary cookies are not much of a problem, in fact you need them to prevent having to re-type your password everywhere.

But if you've been running your pc for a long time with no cleanouts, no adaware runs, no internet explorer security tweaking, no firewall tweaking, and no periodic re-installation of windows (even from clean images if not a full install), I suppose it is not that surprising that so many spywares are found. The vast majority are pretty harmless, but I feel that some legislation is required here, because with no controls, the opportunity for abuse is high.

No one has mentioned the fact that microsoft and intel wanted to be able to identify every single computer to its user, presumably to check for software licenses when you go online - and sell the checking information to other companies.

Here the government wants the power to force ISPs to save for ever all details of your internet traffic, the sites you have visited, and copies of all your email, permanently saved on servers for scrutiny by government employees. Talk about a snooper's charter.

Spyware companies are not the only ones we need protection from.......