[vox] [OT] Length of time to infect a Windows computer?

[Robert G. Scofield]

Bill Kendrick wrote:

>
>
>I did find this, though:
>
>  PCs 'infested' with spy programs
>  http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/3633167.stm
>
>    'The average computer is packed with hidden software that can
>    secretly spy on online habits, a study has found.'
>
>  
>
I've been wondering about this lately.  I have two questions:

1)  Usually when I read about spyware the issue seems to be the building 
of advertising profiles.  The article Bill points to suggests there may 
be more serious problems.  But I have yet to read about a specific 
privacy issue other than that dealing with advertising.  So are there 
some serious spyware issues that people here know about?

2)  To what extent, if any, is open source software better in terms of 
being spied on.  I note that Spybot does not run on Linux.  Bill's 
article mentions that some license agreements will tell you about spy 
programs that the product will put on your computer.  And as an ex-Linux 
user (because of a motherboard problem) I am now refusing to except some 
of the licensing agreements I'm being asked to agree to.  I had some 
concerns about Real Audio.  And I've got concerns about my CD burning 
software.  (I was  using the KDE CD burning program to backup my Windows 
files before I became an ex-Linux user.)  So my feeling has been that 
open source is better than Windows as far as spyware.  But to what 
extent does spyware create a problem for the open source user?

Bob