[Tfug] OT: Windows "Tracking Software"

[Bexley Hall]

--- On Mon, 3/2/09, Eric Gearhart <eric at nixwizard.net> wrote:

> On Mon, Mar 2, 2009 Andrew Ayre <andy at britishideas.com> wrote:
> > Bexley Hall wrote:
> >
> >> How can one detect/defeat software "intentionally"
> >> installed on a Windows (XP/Vista) machine for the
> >> purpose of "tracking" a user's activities?
> >>
> >> I.e., "intentional" spyware...?
> >
> > Run Spybot Search and Destroy?
> > Remove it using Add/Remove programs?
> >
> > I don't think you've provided enough information for the answer you are
> > really looking for...
> 
> And, er, he posted to a Unix user's list?!?

Note that I clearly marked the thread as "OT" -- so you
could ignore it easily.

I asked here as I *assume* some number of subscribers work in
and/or administer Windows shops.  Since the type of software
I am describing is most typically installed by *employers*
intent on monitoring their *employees*, I assumed some of
subscribers have either been monitored by such software
*or* have installed/maintained software like this on behalf
of their employers.

> You might
> have better luck
> posting to the guys over at the Tucson Computer Society...
> http://www.aztcs.org/
> 
> About all these guys are going to suggest for your
> spyware/tracking
> software problems are instructions for installing Linux
> (not a bad
> solution either...)

Doesn't do anything to address the problem if you *want* to
(or must!) run Windows!  :-/  (Does SolidWorks run under Linux?
AutoCAD?  FrameMaker -- perhaps?  Specctra?  Any of the 40
IDE's that I work in routinely? )