Talk:adware

Here are the oldest Usenet posts I can find on Google Groups:
 * AdWare: comp.sys.mac - 21 Jul 1987 by Werner Uhrig:
 * adware: comp.binaries.ibm.pc.d - 9 Nov 1990 by Jack Morrison:
 * adwares: alt.comp.shareware - 6 Mar 2000 by Visual Vision:
 * anti-adware: alt.privacy.spyware - 9 Aug 2000 by Bluebeard:

It seems that the terms adware was originally used for a close relative of shareware & freeware and was a type of benevolent or harmless software (rathar than malware) which was free of charge but contained some advertising. &mdash; Hippietrail 12:11, 3 Oct 2004 (UTC)