I run OS X Leopard, and don;t run any virus check. I don;t wear a tin foil hat either but if I have any reason to believe the aliens or the government are doing stuff that makes me need a tin foil hat I'll then start wearing one :)
Ah, so it is! In my defence I just point my newsreader at news.virginmedia.com; I suppose VM get it from this highwinds server?!
David
Well the scope of AV software has broadened to include a much wider gamut of unwanted software than just the traditional virus. These days one can expect any of the main packages to detect virus, spyware, hacking tools, and privacy invading entities as a minimum.
Might be barking up the wrong tree, but does the slow machine have enough memory ? - check with TaskManager ...
- or loads of stuff clagging up the 'temp' folders ?
- or loads of stuff in the startup (check with msconfig) sometimes seems to help. hth Neil (using free AVG and ZoneAlarm, behind router, without any apparent problems)
I have never found any usable antivirus software, free or otherwise, but I can tell which was worst: Panda.
I've used the free version of AVG for years but it has become very bloated lately and I've been getting some strange problems and system slow-downs so I've switched to the free version of Avast. According to various anti virus comparison sites it is better than AVG. The user interface is crap though, but in practice you don't need to interact with it very often. My computer has speeded up since switching to it anyway - it didn't find any existing problems with the computer so I think the slowness was down to AVG itself.
I use Linux.
Its free. It doesn't catch (any , for me, yet) viruses. That may change when everyone uses it.
The advice that you were given is drivel. AVG is perfectly usable and reliable, I suspect someone is just trying to act clever.
If you're really worried about viruses, you wouldn't be using Windows. Yes, it's that simple. If you've decided to use Windows, or rather you bought some cheap computers and they came with Windows pre-installed then you're stuck. If you really want to be safe from viruses then you can install a security appliance between you and the internet. That woudl cost you a few thousand and more in annual licence fees. It still doesn't guarantee that no viruses will get onto your computer, nothing will ever provide that guarantee.
Commercial systems are locked down in various ways including the use of software to prevent CDs/USB storage being accessed on a PC, packet inspection to look for viruses and other security threats being passed around the network, email scanning applications to try to prevent them getting in as email attachments and appliances to scan websites looking for the presence of malware before the user is allowed to connect. They still get viruses and I suspect no home user would accept the straitjacket that such systems impose on users.
More important to review what you do if you get an outbreak of a virus/trojan/worm/WHY? If you suspect that the kids computer has a virus, why is it still connected to the network?
Lock down the kids' PC so that they can't load their own software, use a netnanny application to stop them accessing pirate sites, downloading "tunes", videos, screensavers and Live TV applications. Stop them from using the PC as a games machine.
You're never going to be able to do that, I suspect.
You can't be "safe" all you can be is less at risk than you were. The AVG software that you have is as good as anything. I use Kaspersky on the "PCs" that I have, although these aren't real PCs, they are VMs. The Kaspersky software licence is provided FoC with the virtualisation software otherwise I would use AVG.
What people tend to think of as "worst" usually means "effective" since people object to the AV stopping them from doing silly things.
Maybe - but it IS now bloatware. From memory it was fine up to v7.xx - V8 went bloat. So I suggest you try .
That's a bit of a silly comment imho. It's a question of degree. The application base on Windows is far better than anything on *nix - although of course *nix is far better that Windows for stabilitry scalability and reliablity - and yes, far less rsik from viruses(ii)? Dunno about Apple stuff.
You're welcome to your opinion, even when it's wrong. Windows is so infested by various security problems that a major part of using it is stressing about AV. The canard about applications is jsut that as well, the "never mind the quality feel the width" argument is IMNSHO beyond silly.
How many word processor/spreadsheet/database applications do you need?
How many non windows platforms will support the OTHER software you need?
That's the real point.
I HAVE to run windows for 3 programs, maybe 4.
OK, its all in a virtual windows box, that if it gets clobbered can be reinstated in about 30 seconds, but I cant escape the necessity without ceasing to be able to do what I do.
The big slowdown isn't usually due to malware, but down to apps that start up at boot time when theyre not needed, and application bloat. Its a major problem in windows. Choose your apps wisely and a win machine will stay usable several times as long.
NT
Most of them. But users get stupid and start insisting that they NEED something that they don't NEED. Usually NEED translates to CAN'T BE BOTHERED TO LEARN SOMETHING NEW.
Coo, use of capitals for no reason really makes things look good, eh?
No, it makes you look a prat.
I run Linux. I HAVE to run windows as well. Perhaps I use my setup for something more than wibbling, watching videos, and posting usenet messages though.
YOUR HEAD
There's no evidence to support that claim.
Or simply that you line of work; communications with clients, etc. demands the use of certain specific software.
SteveW
That really is a minority, of which I are one, so I run Windows in a VM when necessary.
Yes. The first thing to do IMHO is the remove all the software that you don't need. Then use MSCONFIG to stop all the unnecessary programs that want to run all the time. Defrag your HD. Check you have enough memory. Stop all unnecessary windows services.
So most people really do use computers simply for wibbling?
Anyone in the graphics or CAD?CAM arena needs to use what their co-workers use.
Ditto music, unless its just a midi file.
In fact, few work specific applications them, and few companies writing them, write them for Linux, or indeed Mac, though that is improving.
Yes, the vast majority of users need nothing much more than a browser and a simple word processor which most of them could use as a WebApp and it would more than meet their needs.
Anyone in grphics will tend to use Apple, not a PC. The ones who use PC are referred to as "amateurs". CAD/CAM is almost exclusively PC and the users are a tiny minority.
Music is dominated by Apple, not PCs.
You're talking out of your arse, HTH. The majority of users of the applications that you just listed use Apple. In other areas much bespoke work is done using Windows, this is largely due to ignorance and stupidity on the part of those writing the bespoke applications. However given that much of the work done at present using VB or similar crapware can be better done using ColdFusion or Java/PHP there's no real need for applications to be written in this way. There's certainly no *need* for Windows, it's just a bad habit.
HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.