[Shiw Liang]

Hello Janis ^^

From Softpedia, it seems that the free version of Avira comes with nagware. However, both antivirus are great though :3

However, I personally use the free version of avast. I've been using this for 4 years I think.

Before installing a new antivirus in your computer, make sure you remove the previous antivirus using its uninstalling tool which can be found on the antivirus' webpage so that it doesn't affect the antivirus you are planning to install.

Shiw ^^

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Avast is very comprehensive - at least the paid version is.  I have been using it for 7/8 years as it is able to also locate viruses in Linux.  Every so often it issues a statement of how many viruses it has protected my PC from and it is very impressive.

 

HOWEVER, I am considering changing as it seems they are undergoing the same changes as any emerging big company from a normal company.  They are getting invasive which reminds me of Norton.

 

I am now being blitzed by them advising me about registry changes and/or speed up my computer and/or ... as well as the cloud thing.

 

I have gradually started to build up a resistance to all the registrations  of programs I use with Avast deciding who can send/receive.  That is part of the service you say.  They work with 3 options and it is the "automatic" one that really bothers me.  They have approved applications I can't find in my computer.  What are they reading and where is this stuff coming from.  I don't want any program sending or receiving unless "I" know about it.  Know what I mean.?  

 

The other thing that is bothering me with Avast now is they have joined the gravy train by teaming up with Google.  Hello - why?  To me that says they have started to really chase the dollar.  I don't need Avast trying to download Google Chrome or any other Search Engine for that matter.

 

So I endorse Avast on one hand and knock them on the other.

 

I actually came to the forum today to find out if anyone has used "Eset" - Paid Version.

[disberg]

Avast is very comprehensive - at least the paid version is.  I have been using it for 7/8 years as it is able to also locate viruses in Linux.  Every so often it issues a statement of how many viruses it has protected my PC from and it is very impressive.

 

HOWEVER, I am considering changing as it seems they are undergoing the same changes as any emerging big company from a normal company.  They are getting invasive which reminds me of Norton.

 

I am now being blitzed by them advising me about registry changes and/or speed up my computer and/or ... as well as the cloud thing.

 

I have gradually started to build up a resistance to all the registrations  of programs I use with Avast deciding who can send/receive.  That is part of the service you say.  They work with 3 options and it is the "automatic" one that really bothers me.  They have approved applications I can't find in my computer.  What are they reading and where is this stuff coming from.  I don't want any program sending or receiving unless "I" know about it.  Know what I mean.?  

 

The other thing that is bothering me with Avast now is they have joined the gravy train by teaming up with Google.  Hello - why?  To me that says they have started to really chase the dollar.  I don't need Avast trying to download Google Chrome or any other Search Engine for that matter.

 

So I endorse Avast on one hand and knock them on the other.

 

I actually came to the forum today to find out if anyone has used "Eset" - Paid Version.

[SDL1990]

Here the above listed all Antivirus Software is efficient indeed… Presently I’m using Optimo AV it is quite effective protection. You can also try this....

[disberg]

Hi SDL1990

 

Thanks for the response.  Lists are usually composed in the eye of the presenter and their agenda so I don't rely on them.  I am still using Avast as there is no sense changing and relearning a new program without a specific purpose.  I "trialed" Eset and it did not meet my expectations either.

[emeraldnzl]

For what it's worth here are my thoughts on anti-virus and firewall programs.

Most of the well known anti-virus products are good. Some perform better in some aspects than others but if you were to look at the overall picture they are mostly good.

Sometimes one will be on top of the pops one month and another on another month. Of course there are some rogue programs out there too that you must steer clear of because they bring infection with them.

Some of the free ones are good but you do not get the full service. The sound "pay for products" out there have packages which include anti-spyware, anti-phishing, firewalls and adware blocking so you get the whole lot in one go.

This link will take you to an independent site showing comparatives for Anti-virus products. Look at comparatives with caution because one month a program may do well and in another not so well.

http://www.av-comparatives.org/

All of the ones shown there are good products. Sometimes it comes down to your personal taste. In other words you like a particular product because to you it is user friendly or looks good.

Ones I personally like at the moment are  Avast, ESET and Kaspersky but that is only a personal preference and my preferences do change as products undergo improvement.

Of the free ones, I recommend Avast, and MSE. I believe they are both good although it does seem as though Avast have recently made some policy changes about adding revenue gathering opportunities.

If you are looking at free products such as Avast I would look at combining the anti-virus, with a free firewall and also look at and anti-spyware product (say the free versions of) Malwarebytes or SuperAntiSpyware) and update and run it once a week.

Note: Currently SuperAntiSpyware will install foistware along with the program. Last time I looked it was Google Chrome Browser at installation. This is fine if you use Chrome but not so good if you don't. It will do this even if you use Custom Install and uncheck Chrome (at least on my machine) so the best option is to allow it and uninstall Chrome afterwards (unless of course you want it).

Microsoft Security Essentials together with Windows Firewall (which comes with Windows) is probably a good choice for the run of the mill user. This because it is light on resources, it is unobtrusive (it works away in the background without interrupting) and you don't have to be an expert. Firewalls have a habit of flagging suspicious files and asking the user to decide whether to accept the file or not. Often the run of the mill user has no idea about what a particular file does and just says no to everything... down the track they wonder why programs they use regularly suddenly stop working or maybe they try and download something they frequently downloaded in the past but now find they can't.
 
Here are two good, free for personal, use antivirus :

• Avast
• Microsoft Security Essentials Note: Following cessation of support for XP, Microsoft have announced they will nolonger fully support Microsoft Security Essentials for XP. If you have XP you will need to move to another anti-virus provider.
•  
• Note: Do not use more than one anti-virus or firewall. Running two or more real-time anti-virus, anti-spyware and firewall monitors at the same time can cause a conflict. That conflict can result in slow computer performance, error messages, crashes of the programs or other types of failure. You will very likely end up with little or no protection.

[Intalex]

One area that most people tend to overlook when making AV software purchase is the tech support aspect. God forbid if you get an infection because you will more likely have to fork some extra $, and talk to someone overseas about it.

 

And free products don't have any support at all. Thankfully there are communities like Geeks to Go where people can get many of their questions answered for free.

[Leroydeploy9]

There are a lot of different ideas about what is the best antivirus software on the market. I tried a lots of AV programs. The best for me is Avira, the latest version is amazing, it's realiable, safe.

[emeraldnzl]

I used to have Avira and recommended it as I think it one of the best AVs.

However I no-longer recommend it because (at least last time I looked) the free version brings with it the Avira SearchFree Toolbar which includes the ASK search engine.

I don't know whether it is still the case but it used to be that if you removed the ASK toolbar it broke the AV program.

Actually I don't think ASK on it's own is much of a problem, just not much use, it's because it is foisted on the user that I don't recommend Avira.

[gerrytech]

trend micro is the best...