I agree that there is a problem with classification. My definitions are simple. If it causes pop-ups, or in some way targets advertising to your browsing habits, then it is adware. If it sends any information at all about your browsing habits to a third party, then it is spyware. I think in general, adware and spyware share the same bed, and in some cases, are interchangeable.

Whether or not iSearch is spyware is still something I am looking at. Interestingly enough, it seems that the popup advertising that I am getting are based on results from previous searches I have done.

iSearch represents an emerging third category, and my term for that is faciliation software. It may well be that their application in and of itself does not meet the criteria, but it installs other applications that do meet the criteria. I have been testing a variant of bubis, and as meeeeee stated in another thread, an iSearch bar that won't go away is the primary indicator of an infection. This particular strain I am testing downloads CWS and Abetterinternet (VX2). There is no question that they meet the criteria.

One of iSearch's methods of installation is a pop-up that appears to be, if one is not reading closely enough, a Real Media update. If one reads it carefully, then one can see that it is from iSearch, licensed by an outfit called....crap, I can't find the page I had it written on. At any rate, it is extremely deceptive.

If anybody is interested, I have an installer, but I guarantee you don't want it if you don't have a test box. It kills all of your security settings in the registry, and changes permissions so that it is incredibly difficult to change them back. It also attaches itself to explorer.exe, increasing the size roughly 400kb. This gets in deep.