Some
adware is also shareware, as such it may
be used as term of distinction used to differentiate
between types of shareware software. What
differentiates adware from other shareware
is that it is primarily advertising supported.
Users may also be given the option to pay
for a "registered" or "licensed"
copy, which typically does away with the
advertisements. Other types of shareware
include demoware, nagware, crippleware,
freeware, and even spyware.
Some
adware programs have been criticized for
occasionally including code that tracks
a user's personal information and passes
it on to third parties, without the user's
authorization or knowledge. This practice
has been dubbed spyware and has prompted
an outcry from computer security and privacy
advocates, including the Electronic Privacy
Information Center. Other adware programs
do not track a user's personal information.
A
number of spyware
remover software applications are available
to help computer users search for and modify
adware programs to block the presentation
of advertisements and to remove spyware
modules. To avoid a backlash, as with the
advertising industry in general, creators
of adware must balance their attempts to
generate revenue with users' desire to be
left alone.
Additional Definitions:
Adware
Browser
Hijacker
Dialer
Malware
Scumware
Spyware
Trojan Horse
Virus
Worm
