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Okay, I need some help here. I have always used to use Norton for my computer protection and yes I would buy it, not cheap either. Well I never had a problem with it, and it'd do it's job, but this year I was greatly disappointed with Norton 2007. It not only slowed down my computer, but just didn't work the way it used to. So now, I'm in search of a new antivirus program and I am willing to pay for the program, so anyone have any suggestions?
I know we have some old antivirus threads with polls and all, but since 2008 is coming, I want something newer and recent. Plus I want newer reviews. Thanks in advance to all who post!
Hi Nessa,
For me, Norton and McAfee are both resource hogs. Kaspersky is good but has enough settings to turn you into a mad scientist. I finally settled for AVG Free, and it has been serving me well for the past year or so. Its Resident Shield isn't a big resource hog, so I leave it on, protecting my system at all times.
Our other members here might have different opinions, but I'll stick with AVG Free for now.
I second AVG Free. From an excellent guide for virus removal:
howard_hopkinso wrote:Download and install the free AVG or Avast antivirus programmes and either the free Zonealarm, Kerio or Comodo firewall programmes.Also, just in case Norton leaves skid marks in the panties of your PC, heavy duty bleach 😀
AVG Free for me as well! Norton and McAfee would bring me to a virtual standstill every time they wanted to do something. AVG has never caused me any problems and it quietly runs in the background without hogging up all my resources.
-Doris-
IMHO, avast! Home Edition is the best free antivirus solution for Windows. This is mainly because it is modular. You only install the modules you want to. I usually install Web, Standard, and Network. Network is a basic Intrusion Prevention System. Web scans your HTTP traffic through a transparent proxy (but I don't really notice any slowdowns). Standard is just scans files in the background. Probably my most favorite feature of avast! Home Edition is that you can schedule a boot time scan. This is tremendously useful because it runs BEFORE Windows runs — so it cannot (easily) be affected by malicious software. I usually disable skins and VRDB generation because I don't find those features useful. Also, avast! Home Edition is also updated a lot — which is really nice. More information can be found on Wikipedia's avast! page.
If you want to pay for an antivirus solution I'd suggest Kaspersky. I used it for a while a couple of years ago. It was updated hourly — amazing! I used Personal Pro but it has been since discontinued. I think they bundle spyware fighting solutions (but i'm not sure so don't quote me) with all their antivirus now — which makes me mad. I still use their Free File Scan online when i download files under 1MB that might be infected — I cannot divulge details here. Kaspersky is real good at going inside archives and scanning files — i've never seen an antivirus product that is as meticulous as Kaspersky. Another great feature of Kaspersky is that they have tons of mirrors — worldwide. All of you non-US folks must hate American software release groups that don't provide download mirrors in your region.
— ranting below this line —
Neither Norton (owned by Symantec) or McAfee (both HQ in California USA) can stand up to either one of these solutions. They used to be leading (probably still are in terms of number-of-installs because of mass distributions via PC vendors — not because of technical superiority) Anti-Virus solutions but then they started to lock down computers so that not even the user would find it useful. While you're using McAfee or Norton you cannot connect to IRC (without putting in some effort) because they believe that you are too stupid to.
The average joe no longer has any control over their computer. Soon we'll have even less control — with Trusted Computing chips, DRM'd software, and further lockdown of the Internet by large (monopolistic) ISPs (or governments) who don't believe in freedom.
Of course, if you switch to a REAL operating system — like Linux — you won't have to deal with viruses. Your computer is fully controlled by YOU — the user. If you want to install closed source applications (or drivers) you can but unlike Windows most of the software you'll use day to day (the kernel, and X) is completely free (as in speech) software. Sure you can replace almost everything in Windows with free (as in speech) alternatives — but you can't replace the heart of the OS — you can't replace the Windows Kernel. It will always remain closed source. Linux, on the other hand, is (almost) completely modular. You don't need to use Linus's vanilla kernel if you don't want to. You can ‘easily' change anything (depending on your skill level). Anyway, that's just my useless rant. Sorry for wasting your time.
— ranting above this line —
Do NOT use AVG. The only virus I have ever gotten that went undetected was when I was using AVG. If you want something good that's free, go for avast! Antivirus. That is the best free one, then if you are willing to pay, I suggest nod32, best one ever hands down. It auto updates all the time, very nice.
dvelez1985: Norton in my experience and from what I've heard is big, bloated, and slow. I did some Googling for a good comparison of AV's but haven't found anything useful. I'm sure there is something somewhere.
Here's what most consider the definitive comparison site: AV-Comparatives. It'll save you from having to read the fanboy replies.
In all honesty, the best anti-virus is based on user need so you'll have to find the one that suits you the best.
However, in my opinion, nothing beats NOD32. Not only does it have frequent database updates, its heuristics system is one of the best (what actually really matters in an antivirus [the ability to catch viruses that haven't been added to a database].
Symantec's latest attempts at Norton are a definite improvement, but I'm still going to be staying away from them based on past experience.
Anyway, I've used them all. I'm always on the search for a better alternative and, as of yet, have been unable to find a program that could replace NOD32.
@RU Still Down? 224471 wrote:
IMHO, While you're using McAfee or Norton you cannot connect to IRC (without putting in some effort) because they believe that you are too stupid to.
[/quote]
There are hundreds of documented Trojans that use IRC as communication medium. It is completely fair to say that most users either a) don't use IRC and won't be affected by it, or b) have the level of skill to understand why it is blocked, and unblock it. Seems pretty reasonable to me.Remember that IRC isn't popular with people who aren't moderately technology-savvy enough to be able to figure this out. IRC isn't a spectacularly extensible or “great” protocol, so there isn't any need to use it as an underlying communication medium for some other type of application. But if there was some need, I'm sure using ports other than 6660-6670–or whatever range NAV blocks–would be sufficient.
Quote:The average joe no longer has any control over their computer. Soon we'll have even less control — with Trusted Computing chips, DRM'd software, and further lockdown of the Internet by large (monopolistic) ISPs (or governments) who don't believe in freedom.The average Joe can install whatever software he so desires. If that isn't choice, I don't know what is. As for Trusted Computing, there is quite a bit of criticism, but I'm quite sure things will work out in favor of the consumer.
Quote:Of course, if you switch to a REAL operating system — like Linux — you won't have to deal with viruses.Nice way of throwing your Linux plug in there. But you expect people that can't figure out how to operate NAV to install and use Linux? You expect them to reinstall their entire ****ing OS every 4 months when a new version is out and they are now running a near-obsolete OS (2yrs and no longer will you have update support).
Linux (compared to Windows Vista) is just as susceptible to Viri, but only nerds run linux, so it wouldn't be worth writing a virus/trojan and actually push it. Linux is secure from this type of attack because it is used less (in the desktop/consumer environment), and generally operated/maintained by people who are competent and would not be susceptible to the attack.
Quote:Your computer is fully controlled by YOU — the user.I'm pretty confident that I am in control of this Windows system, aside from things which no ‘average Joe' would ever want to do, there are not any restrictions placed on me.
Quote:If you want to install closed source applications (or drivers) you can but unlike Windows most of the software you'll use day to day (the kernel, and X) is completely free (as in speech) software. Sure you can replace almost everything in Windows with free (as in speech) alternatives — but you can't replace the heart of the OS — you can't replace the Windows Kernel. It will always remain closed source. Linux, on the other hand, is (almost) completely modular. You don't need to use Linus's vanilla kernel if you don't want to. You can ‘easily' change anything (depending on your skill level).I can't think of a situation where I'd want to replace the Windows kernel. Why would an average person really want to do that?
Quote:Anyway, that's just my useless rant. Sorry for wasting your time.Don't apologize for something you didn't do.
I still haven't purchased one yet, but I think I'mma go ahead and try NOD32. I'll let you guys know how that goes. 🙂
I found your posting very interesting but I am using search and destroy which is one of the best from all anti viruses, Go for using it, you will also find it good.
Thank you……………………………….
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