Avast to buy antivirus rival AVG for $1.3 billion

[z3r010]

Antivirus firm Avast has announced a deal to buy rival company AVG for $1.3 billion (£1bn).The transaction is an-cash offer for AVG's shares at a price of $25 per share. Avast will finance the deal with existing cash reserves and debt financing from third party lenders.The company said the purchase would help it "gain scale, technological depth and geographical breadth". The sale price represents a 32 per cent premium on AVG's average price per share over the last six months.

Read more:- Avast to buy antivirus rival AVG for $1.3 billion | WIRED UK

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[SueMcCullou]

Wow, interesting stuff!

 

[ThrashZone]

Nice although AVG has never been one of my considerations for a av.
Avast was a consideration but I just thought it was really too bloated for my taste
Settled for Panda free instead with mbam pro.

 

[RolandJS]

The pot [Avast] is calling the kettle [AVG]..."you're mine! All mine!" Over the years, I have used both products, and I really liked using both products! From Windows 3.11 all the way to WFW 3.11; Avast all the way to Windows 7. Now, I'm using Avira AV, not the suite, just the anti-virus pay-for. We will see what happens.

 

[RolandJS]

...Panda free instead...

and no panda-monium either! It comes with a custom/advance install option, correct? Tell me more

 

[ThrashZone]

Hi,
I just use the traditional install it is up front with items to not install like Panda toolbar.... since both Panda free and Avast free downloads are from CNet they come with the usual pup's to deselect
So custom install not sure there was one offered the pup's were listed in the traditional install
Deselecting Panda news was an easy setting to deselect

 

[RoasterMen]

avast! still hasn't satisfied me with their answers concerning SafeZone. The free version does alright, My parents know enough about what to click and what not so the free version was my choice.

 

[Brds7t7]

Wow, never thought these two would merge into one company. I have used Avast for years but haven't used AVG for about 10 years. Wonder what will happen with the products?

Avast is pretty decent so long as you download it from their site using the offline installer and only install the AV. I never install all the extra bloat that comes with it.
Same with Comodo, I like the firewall but don't install all the extra bloat it wants to dump on my system.

That's the problem with a lot of software these days, they want to become all-in-one solutions and try to do everything, which leads to them becoming bloated.
I prefer software that just keeps things simple and light.

 

[RolandJS]

"Avast me maties! With AVenGer, let's bloat the blokes!"
Seriously, I really hope someday the Avast/AVG combine simply returns to the slim, trim, no-nonsense, no Swiss Army Knife days of old and gives us something we can be proud to license-buy and/or use the free version.

 

[TechnoMage2016]

I not only use AV software myself, but I have to install it for my aging customer base.

So when a program is constantly popping up and wanting to perform a Major Update, with option to buy, or asking some other nerdly question, my people are on the phone to me, asking for help or just plain complaining.

I've never liked Avast, because of its insistence on re-activating once a year. That was a deal breaker.

I used, liked and shared AVG FREE for many years, but in the last few versions, it's caused more trouble for me and my users than it was worth. If it would just do its thing in the background, like it's supposed to, it would be OK, but it's become way too invasive and operator intensive. So I won't use it anymore.

I have reverted my own PC's (all 20 of them) to Windows Defender with several other AS and AM programs for backup. We (I and my customers) never get infected by viruses.

One of the most valuable Backup programs that I use is "Super Anti-Spyware" (FREE Version).
It will find and remove PUP's and Tracking Cookies that many other programs, including AVG, will neither find or remove.
Tracking Cookies can build up at such a high rate, that I run SAS several times a week, and after every Internet Search Session.

Better Safe than Sorry! Eh?

 

[TechnoMage2016]

"Avast me maties! With AVenGer, let's bloat the blokes!"
Seriously, I really hope someday the Avast/AVG combine simply returns to the slim, trim, no-nonsense, no Swiss Army Knife days of old and gives us something we can be proud to license-buy and/or use the free version.

Roland,
You're a riot! Have you ever done Standup?

"Slim, trim, no-nonsense" is just not in the offing. Forgetaboutit!!! Ain't a gonna happen.
I love your sentiment though.

The only AV software that I've found that even comes close (very close) is Windows Defender.

Yes, I know, it's not at the top of the list, but it's respectful at least and does not constantly bother its users. When mated with a few more AV/AS programs, it does its job.

Cheers Mates!

 

[FerchogtX]

I've been using Avast! for a long time... no issues so far. Bloated? Probably, but nothing you can't solve using the "Custom Install" option... AVG is also a good AV, I just didn't use it because it gave me a couple of false positives... it was a bit annoying, but just a bit.
I really don't see the big deal.

 

[cornemuse]

Didnt like avast, at all, avg has been getting worse as years go by. Avast buying avg? Time to change, again, , , prolly 360 tot. sec, , , ,

(Have 360 on '7' laptop, actually like it, , , there, , ,)

-c-

 

[OvenMaster]

I know a guy who is not going to be happy when I tell him of this news.
He has used Avira, AVG and Avast at different times since 2004. The only antivirus that worked when he really needed it - isolating and killing an accidentally downloaded trojan browser hijacker - was AVG. He's used it ever since.

 

[TechnoMage2016]

I saw a lengthy ad this morning on TV, for "Viper" an AV program designed for/by the government.

I've never used it, and I don't know if they have a FREE version (which I'd like) but,
I'm wondering if anyone here has ever had any experience with it?

 

[RolandJS]

..."Viper" an AV program designed for/by the government...

My apartment complex has used Viper for some years now. I've heard no complaints about it from the people in the office. I don't remember seeing a Viper enterprise free version.

 

[TheDeerDude]

Vipre. VIPRE - Yes, as stupid as it sounds, that's its actual name.
There's no free version but you can get a free 30-day trial of any version. https://www.vipreantivirus.com/home-antivirus/free-antivirus-download-trial.aspx

I've used it back in 2014, seemed very lightweight and non-intrusive, it did its job. Reminded me of MalwareBytes, in a way.

As for the topic here. I liked and used Avast, but it became so bloated with unnecessary, stupid features that I stopped using it. I also used AVG, it was a lil better than avast, back a few years ago when it comes to unnecessary features.

I personally prefer MSE & MBAM & MBAE + a few addons in Firefox and a little bit of common sense

 

[TechnoMage2016]

I test dozens of pieces of Computer software every year, so I thought nothing about downloading the trial version of Viper AV. I installed it, ran it, did what little bit of customization as it would allow and ran a scan. It said it found some obscure trojan, but didn't actually name it or say where it was.
I got no warm, fuzzies from that. Customization was very weak, as compared to, say AVG.

Before the day was out, I did a system restore and Viper was GONE and Windows Defender was once again up and running. Viper also insisted that I remove one of my every day protection programs which I didn't like.

So that's my total experience with Viper.

I do remember taking Viper off of customer's PC's, where it had expired (one year license only) and was not running.

Cheers Mates,
TechnoMage

 

[TheDeerDude]

...trial version of Viper AV..

..Viper was GONE....Viper also

..So that's my total experience with Viper...

..taking Viper off...

What's "Viper"? I think you guys might've meant "Vipre" C'mon, it's not that hard. Repeat with me. V-I-P-R-E. Not VIPER. VIPRE. Yes, it sounds dumb, but it's the actual name of it.

I actually, out of curiosity downloaded it earlier today. I hated the user interface, so much that I just.. uninstalled it. It's simply god-awful. Funnily enough, when a different company owned Vipre, back in 2013 the user interface was so much better. They really took a step back.

 

[FerchogtX]

...trial version of Viper AV..

..Viper was GONE....Viper also

..So that's my total experience with Viper...

..taking Viper off...

What's "Viper"? I think you guys might've meant "Vipre" C'mon, it's not that hard. Repeat with me. V-I-P-R-E. Not VIPER. VIPRE. Yes, it sounds dumb, but it's the actual name of it.

I actually, out of curiosity downloaded it earlier today. I hated the user interface, so much that I just.. uninstalled it. It's simply god-awful. Funnily enough, when a different company owned Vipre, back in 2013 the user interface was so much better. They really took a step back.

Viper Beam!

Ohhh... sorry, wrong forum! :drool: XD