Spyware Remover: The Future Is Actually Now

Where have you gone, George Jetson? Or better yet, James Bond?

The future is awesome, I’ll admit, but I can’t help but see the world sometimes through the eyes of a little kid. Not my child: Me, way back when. When I was a kid, for example, if you’d told me that I’d use passwords every day, I would have imagined a much cooler job.

Another example: How about spyware? Better yet, spyware remover? That conjures up all sorts of images. What would you use a spyware remover for, my inner child wonders. Something that zaps invisible ink pens and miniature cameras out of the pockets of the bad guys? Sigh. Childhood.

There are still bad guys, though, which is why we can only laugh so much when it comes to spyware, and why spyware remover has become an essential part of the arsenal of every computer user. Spyware does exactly what it says: It peers at your information from behind a corner, looking to snatch your password or credit card numbers, even your identity. A spyware remover goes right after the evildoers, catching them before they have a chance to walk off with your stuff.

Again, it’s fun to pretend I’m a kid again, dazzled by all of our cool futuristic gadgets. When I come back to the future, though, I’m glad to have help.

Those Tricky DLL Files

Here’s a question for you, Mr. or Ms. Accomplished Computer User. You can work all sorts of magic and know all sorts of tricks. You help out friends and relatives, install and reinstall and back up and work wonders. You’re good. So this should be easy, Tell us what DLL files are for.

It’s OK. Take your time. A little time. Still working on it?

Don’t feel bad. Even though DLL files are crucial to our computer use (virtually all of our programs use them and won’t work if they’re missing), most of us are unaware of them. And for good reason: DLL files run in the background usually, unseen and not causing any problems.

Until they do. Until they go AWOL or get corrupted. This can happen for a variety of reasons. Maybe you’ve deleted a program, running the uninstall software correctly, and it deleted a DLL file that was common to more than one application.

It’s also possible that you installed an update and it wrote over the old DLL files, somehow corrupting them.

Worst of all, it’s possible that some sort of malware has attacked your PC and deleted DLL files, making it easier to do its nasty work.

At any rate, a good DLL search program can be a handy piece of software to keep around. To keep tabs on your DLL files, and to know when something goes wrong.

A Clean Registry: It Can Get Personal

You will hear arguments pro and con about the use of a registry cleaner. Some say it's not necessary, and possibly dangerous; others swear by it and wouldn't live without one. It can get personal, but the bottom line is that a clean registry is a happy registry, And a happy computer.

You will hear arguments pro and con about the use of a registry cleaner. Some say it's not necessary, and possibly dangerous; others swear by it and wouldn't live without one. It can get personal.

So here's personal: I use a registry cleaner because I tend to make a mess.

You will hear arguments pro and con about the use of a registry cleaner. Some say it's not necessary, and possibly dangerous; others swear by it and wouldn't live without one. It can get personal.

Not a literal mess, although I certainly do that, too. Welcome to my world. What I'm talking about, though, is my computer and how I use it. That is, I like to experiment, fool around, tweak things and see if I can liven my life up a bit (yeah, I maybe could use a hobby). Part of this playing around involves trying out new software.

Safely, of course, from trusted sources and with my spyware/virus software fully engaged. But I like to try new things, see if they'd benefit me, test them to find out if I could use something new. And sometimes I do, sometimes I don't.

In which case I uninstall the program, no harm done.

Except for those little traces that might remain in the registry, tidbits of code that can add up. So while I enjoy messing around, I also enjoy cleaning up, which is why a registry cleaner can come in awful handy.

DLL Files: You Know When They're Missing

What are DLL files, and why should I care?

Don't feel bad if you've never heard of DLL files; most of us haven't, even those of us who have used computers for years and feel pretty accomplished. And there's a good reason for our ignorance: DLL files tend to run in the background and rarely cause problems, so most of us never have to deal with them.

Heard of Dynamic Linked or Loaded Library files? C'mon, you're a smart and savvy computer user. Surely you know about DLL files, right?

OK, just a joke. Don't feel bad if you've never heard of DLL files; most of us haven't, even those of us who have used computers for years and feel pretty accomplished. And there's a good reason for our ignorance: DLL files tend to run in the background and rarely cause problems, so most of us never have to deal with them.

But sometimes we do, and sometimes for serious reasons. Missing or corrupt DLL files can cause major problems with your PC. Sometimes they get accidentally deleted when we run an uninstall program for software we no longer need or us. Sometimes they just get corrupted, for a variety of reasons.

It can get bad, though.

And sometimes it involves something a little more sinister, like malware, computer viruses and the like. Now we're talking serious problems.

This is why being aware of DLL files is always a good thing, and why a DLL search program is a handy tool to have. Because even if you've never heard of them, some things you come to rely on, and you'll certainly notice when they're not there.

RegCure Can Fix It

The folks at Paretologic who created RegCure know that we accumulate junk, the residue of programs we don't use anymore and sometimes don't even have. RegCure Registry Cleaner, a free download, goes after your computer's registry, that kitchen drawer that holds the junk that comes with every program.

Owner's manuals. Power cords, accessories, plastic ties and even packaging. You know all about it. The stuff we want comes with stuff we don't, which is junk and can clutter quicker than a small child after a big birthday party. I have a drawer in my kitchen devoted to owner's manuals; that's what it's for. All the owner's manuals I own. Including some for appliances I no longer have.

The same thing can be said for our computers, which is where a product like RegCure Registry Cleaner comes in. The folks at Paretologic who created RegCure know that we accumulate junk, the residue of programs we don't use anymore and sometimes don't even have. RegCure Registry Cleaner, a free download, goes after your computer's registry, that kitchen drawer that holds the junk that comes with every program.

Overcrowding? RegCure can fix it.

When the registry gets crowded with old and unnecessary entries, your computer can slow down. Sometimes way down, along with acting up in other unpleasant ways. A registry cleaner can not only bring it back to speed, but also just do basic maintenance, keeping your PC running smoothly while you go about your business.

Which might be accumulating more junk. Another reason for RegCure.

Spyware Remover Is A Necessary Good

There are spies among us. You know this, I know it. Not quite the sinister Cold War types we might remember from hazy youth, but real-live spies just the same. Which is why spyware remover, as exotic as it sounds, is such a basic and essential tool for every computer user.

Catching the bad guys.

A spyware remover goes right after the bad guys, catching them before they have a chance to walk off with your stuff. Spyware does exactly what it says: It peers at your information from behind a corner, looking to snatch your password or credit card numbers, even your identity. None of this is fun and games. None of it is playtime. Spyware is a serious threat to your security, and using a spyware remover is sometimes your first line of defense - or at least, hopefully, your last.

The future is now.

This is the world we live in, after all. We have all sorts of toys, gadgets to make life easier, more efficient and lots of fun. But while we welcome information into our lives, we also might be welcoming the dark side of the Internet, the spammers and the keyloggers and the thieves. It's nice to know that we get a little help.

Antispyware: One Scary Word

Sometimes it's all in a word. "Antispyware," for example. But you might be surprised how many people don't know exactly what spyware is, what it does, and why it's a bad thing when you run across it. Luckily for all of us, there is a solution to spyware.

Can we talk about antispyware?

Can we talk? Can we have a conversation about antispyware programs without freaking out? Sure we can. I'll be gentle.

Even just hearing or reading the word "antispyware" might make you nervous, particularly when you think about those warnings that are all over the Internet, from Facebook to MySpace to Twitter, to your email account. "This will destroy your hard drive and wipe out all your information!" they often shriek, and often in capital letters. "Look out!" they say. Protect yourself.

Protect yourself, and more.

Good idea, protecting yourself. But let's think about antispyware a little more. You know about it, and you know what it's for: To prevent spyware from landing on your hard drive.

And here's why this is important: Spyware doesn't want to erase your hard drive. No matter what those warnings like to terrorize us with, most of the spyware, viruses, keyloggers, Trojan horses and just general malware wants your computer to stay functional. Because that's when they can do damage.

Spyware wants to steal your stuff. Spyware wants to bombard you with pop-up ads, sometimes masquerading as real messages from Windows. Spyware very well might want to take your identity, your credit card numbers, your passwords. Your MONEY.

This is why an antispyware program is so important for all of us to have. Not to prevent our hard drives from dying; to prevent them from working for somebody else.