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I don't think there's been another PC hassle I've found as frustrating, complicated, and annoying as spyware.

Well, a close second would be the Mac users who relentlessly taunt me. "Macs are spyware-free," one guy wrote, gleefully offering free tutoring if I switched. The nerve.

Sit tight, fellow PC users. This week and next I'll supply you with many useful items in the struggle against spyware: articles on the hassles that anti-spyware companies are facing, a report on sleazy "anti-spyware" programs that actually add spyware to your PC, info on new spyware stopgap measures, and details on the anti-spyware strategies in place here at Bass International.

My Spyware Prediction

I predict that, like viruses and pop-up ads, the spyware problem will be under control within a year or so. My crystal ball offers three reasons: Users are really unhappy; software vendors see an opportunity to make a couple of bucks; and Microsoft's jumped into the fray with its anti-spyware beta. And don't you love the way it's grabbed the spotlight? "Microsoft AntiSpyware." It's like Microsoft thinks it's the only game in town.

I think having Microsoft in the picture is a big win for consumers. Microsoft AntiSpyware is free; it's likely to remain free; and it works really well. To see for yourself, download a copy from us.

Because the technology is so good and it comes from Microsoft, anti-spyware companies are working very hard to create a better product. For more on what's in store for other vendors, read "Microsoft Sends Shivers Through Antivirus Market."

Quick Good-News Break: If you don't have a Google Gmail account yet, you can now. Isnoop has 457,000 accounts available. And if you have any spare ones, you can donate them. (It reminds me of the penny bowl at the local 7-11. Have one? Throw it in. Grab one if you need it.) [Thanks to Patrick Douglas Crispen and his Internet TourBus newsletter.]

Is it Spyware--or Not?

Figuring out exactly what's spyware is--and isn't--should be obvious. It isn't always.

For a look at how Sunbelt Software (of CounterSpy fame) decides what's spyware, head for the company's Weblog and scroll to "Defining Adware and Spyware." At Sunbeltblog you'll also get to see the legal hassles that Sunbelt goes through when it calls a product spyware. BroadbandReports.com has more on this topic.

You'll also want to take an up-to-the-minute look at what two top anti-spyware sites, PCPitstop and WebRoot, consider the major spyware threats. As I write this, the MyWebSearch toolbar tops the PCPitstop chart, while Gator (GAIN) is WebRoot's pick.

It doesn't happen often, but anti-spyware companies make mistakes. For instance, SideStep, a travel site I've written about a few times, has been mistakenly accused of purveying spyware. It doesn't. And once the SideStep folks contact the right person at each anti-spyware company, the site is delisted.

This sort of misplaced finger pointing even happens to Microsoft. The company recently placed a Web site on its spyware list and referred to it as a "browser hijacker." It wasn't, and Microsoft apologized. (I didn't check, but I'm guessing the apology, a previously unheard-of action in Redmond, caused Microsoft stock to drop 10 points.)

Spyware Sleuths

Big-time vendors aren't the only ones watching the spyware industry. Check out these spyware reports from two sharp, eagle-eyed researchers. You'll get insight not only into the difficulty of defining spyware, but also into the struggle involved in separating the good anti-spyware programs from the bogus ones.

Start with Harvard Law School student Benjamin Edelman. The guy's a dynamo, cranking out tons of substantial, well-documented white papers (he's definitely a future attorney) that names names. Start with "Claria's Practices Don't Meet Its Lawyers' Claims," then read "Investors Supporting Spyware" to find out which major investment firms support spyware.

Equally diligent in exposing spyware is Eric Howes, a grad student at the University of Illinois. He's put together "Rogue/Suspect Anti-Spyware Products & Web Sites," which lives on the Spyware Warrior site. Howes exposes anti-spyware products that purport to remove spyware, but often actually add spyware or adware, or hijack your browser's home page.

Dig This: There are some days you just ought to stay home from work. This poor guy should have considered taking a week off. [big 5MB video]

Dig This, Too: If you can't spend two weeks downloading that video on your dial-up connection, I've got something smaller, a nifty little 300KB video of a floating guy. There are more cool videos--Grenade and FPS, for example--at Sheepfilms.co.uk.

Next week: what to look for in an anti-spyware program; the conclusions in "Spyware Stoppers," our comprehensive spyware article; and my recommendations for keeping your system free of spyware.

Steve Bass writes the "Hassle-Free PC" column in PC World's print edition and is the author of PC Annoyances, 2nd Edition: How to Fix the Most Annoying Things About Your Personal Computer, available from O'Reilly. Sign up to have Steve Bass's Tips and Tweaks newsletter e-mailed to you each week. Comments or questions? Send Steve e-mail.