People talk about spyware a lot, these days; to many, it's a problem as serious as computer viruses, if not more so. Because it's a more recent subject, much of the available information about it is confusing and sometimes contradictory.

Due to that, many users simply give up - they accept spyware as something unavoidable, and "solve" the problem by formatting their system from time to time. Which, let's admit it, is not only bothersome, but also makes no sense at all. Things should - and can - be better.

There are many guides and articles about spyware, but some are too technical for most users, while the rest of them are simply "buy and install that anti-spyware program". Such a program can be used to remove existing spyware, but what most people don't know is that it is possible to have a completely spyware-free computer, without spending a cent, simply by following the next 3 suggestions:

  1. Do not use Internet Explorer (details)
  2. Keep your Windows updated (details)
  3. Do not install "dubious" software (details)