Why does Spybot Search and Destroy look so weird?

Question

It looks a lot 'different' than many of the adware/spyware/internet security programs I have seen, including the free ones. When you do an 'update'...it wants you to pick from various weird servers that are all over the world, as to where your download updates are going to come from. What's up with that? Most of those sites, I have never heard of...some don't even look like legit sites. Does anybody else use SS&D and see this stuff? I got it from CNet's download.com. Just wondering why this interface is so weird, and why it downloads all of this crap with a bunch of odd extensions that aren't like other virus/spyware/adware extensions most programs have. Why does this one look so...what's the word..."hacker-like" with a bunch of crap everywhere on it? When it's searching...at the bottom it states that it's running a 'bot check'; and scrolls through all of these hundreds of crazy extensions it downloaded from who knows where. Just wanted to know how 'normal' this actually is?

It's version 1.5

Answer 1

its fine .. thats normal ... it will get the job done ..

Answer 2

No, it is totally fine. I have been using Spybot for 4 years without any problems. Let me address some of your concerns. Large security software makers, like Norton and McAfee, have their own dedicated servers. They upload updates to their servers so that their customers can download them. In contrast, Spybot is a non commercial security software maker. It is dependent on the donations made by generous Spybot users. Spybot can't afford to have their own dedicated server. As a result, they upload their updates to free servers, such as Security Wonks. The popular sofware download website MajorGeeks uses a similar system.

Like all antispyware programs, Spybot works with an up-to-date list of spyware signatures. Spybot scans a computer looking for the presence of these signatures. When scanning, Spybot displays what spyware it is currently looking for, such as "bot..."

Spybot is one of the first, if not the first, free anti spyware program made available to everyone. A German computer programmer developed it after his computer was infected with spyware. He and a small group of volunteers keep updating Spybot against the latest threats. Basically, they are working out of a garage. So, don't expect any "eye candy" from Spybot. As with many German products, it is more about function than form.

There is a good "how-to" article on CNET's website, which provides step by step instructions on using Spybot.

"How to use Spybot" -- written by Brian Satterfield (http://www.download.com/1200-2023_4-5157526.html)

Answer 3

The builder of the site is a personal freind from a very well known University in Germany. He along with a group of dedicated students designed, Spybot Search and Destroy.

The designer teaches computer science. (Professor).

I can assure you that the download sites are 100% safe. And every thing else about the antispyware program is safe. Usually you are offered different download sites, as the one that is nearest to where you reside may be faster, or the server may be overloaded on the other downloads.

Myself I don't use his software, not because it is not any good, I just have four other antispywares in my pc.

Minddoctor, France

Answer 4

It's good at what it does and it has other various Advanced utilities-

If it is the 'SpyBot Search & Destroy v1.4 or v1.5' from:
http://www.safer-networking.org
it IS the original and very good anti-spyware.

Visit the link provided above and verify that what you have is the same product. I'm sure it is by your description.

*Beware of an anti-spyware product with the 'SpyBot' name that is NOT affiliated in any way with the original. If it doesn't say Search & Destroy, it is 'rogueware'.

Just use it.
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Use protection,
your computer will thank you.