PC antivirus software question

What is "not so great" about what you are using?

Get and read the latest issue of Consumer Reports. They did an extensive comparison and rated many antivirus suites both free and for sale. They liked BitDefender very much, were surprisingly down on Norton/Symantec (the suite I use) and also down on Trend PCCillin, the product I previously used but found way too slow and buggy.

Smarty

Those who rely on Consumer Reports for reliable, honest, and accurate analysis of ANYTHIING, deserve what they get.

Why do you say that? For many years, most folks have found much of their info pretty accurate...the magazine's knee-jerk liberal belief that government regulation is the answer to all marketplace problems notwithstanding...

On 8/12/2008 11:23 AM snipped-for-privacy@dog.com spake thus:

And why is that? Please explain. As I understand it, they actually

AVG free is doing the job fine for me.

What gives you that impression of them? If they had advertising, which they don't, I might have a tendency to agree but without the advertising I find them to be pretty "straight up" and reliable.

Now, let's hear your reasoning.

Don

I personally prefer Eset Smart Security

Another two cents - most AV suites have free trials - *definitely* try before you buy!

Other than whether or not you like the user interface, how do you know if it is doing a good job -- or doing anything?

I second Eset NOD32 as the best. If you want free AV then consider Antivir which is very good also.

The root problem is that their testing "methods" are completely laughable.

If you want to believe they have a clue, then by all means, follow them wherever they go.

Experience. Every time I've trusted Consumer Reports I've gotten burned.

"Try before you buy" to:

a) As you say, check if you like the interface, b) make sure it doesn't grind your system to a halt, c) make sure there are no incompatibilities with software on your system.

As to how well (or if) it's working - you can start with an eicar test

I also suggest reading the av-comparatives web site:

Me too. They still support win98 also.

It can be hard, I think, to find the free version on their website. One has to get past 2 or 3 screens that offer the paid version, and iirc one has to click on a link that isn't named "free version" but something else altogether. But it's there.

I use McAfee and a program called CyberScrub to get rid of those nasty cookies and other downloads that clog up the system. It also cleans out the history folder so no one can see where you have been. It can also wipe out your hard drive if your not careful. They have a free full version trial.

The Rexwain version of this (text snipped) was 70 bytes long, and when I had the AVG anti-virus program repair this file, it deleted all 70 bytes, because they are the string that the anti-virus programs alert on, and it left me with a 0 byte file.

Maybe I have the prefeerences set a little differently on this installation of AVG from what I used before.

I've used Avast (free for home use) for years.

They sell corporate versions and advance personal versions, but the basic antvirus is free for home use. Their statement is that the only way to win against the bad guys, or at least keep up, is if every computer has good antivirus, and that's why they offer the basic version for free. I think that's an admirable position, and if it also gets them paying customers...well everyone's got to eat.

No one's ever heard of it, but it works well for me. Updates at least once a day, hasn't caused any compatibility problems, and doesn't bog my system. Hard to judge effectiveness, but after using it on three always on, always connected systems for years, no infections yet.

I gave Norton and Mcaffe the boot years ago

My $.02

Paul F.

And what about guys who post broad, sweeping generalizations-- just their opinion, really-- and glaringly don't support them with any data ;-)