Switching Security Solutions

[rubyrubyroo]

I thought I told you John, I'm unoffendable! But yea this kinda thread is prone to what should be heated debate, but sometimes becomes a little weird with everyone holding tightly to the only software they know and feverishly defending it to the death! It kinda funny at times, at least I get a chuckle when I see that. And It's funny how your always using analogies, and I'm always "picked-on" by my girl for being the analogy master! So I hear ya!

And if you are going to do online banking KIS is supposed to be one of if not the best security, or so I've heard second hand, repeatedly.

Mike

 

[ICIT2LOL]

Ok you did and two GMA's (grand master analogist) on the forum pretty unique - I'm going for my Phd soon LOL!!

Yeah I know re the hanging on but it's the using more than one and constant swapping that gets to me.

 

[rubyrubyroo]

I bet it would drive me crazy too, but it's probibly the whole "getting paid by the quarter-hour to install each time they switch" syndrome that helps ease me through it!

 

[ICIT2LOL]

I bet it would drive me crazy too, but it's probibly the whole "getting paid by the quarter-hour to install each time they switch" syndrome that helps ease me through it!

Hum +1 mate I just don't understand it either unless one is an expert at spotting a bad app straight away and I reckon you would have to pretty darn good at that I suppose the triers will always be looking for that something extra - which they never will find. Bit like a dog chasing it's tail!

 

[rubyrubyroo]

Bit like a dog chasing it's tail!

You cant stop can you!

Well the companies love the switching and going from free to pay constantly, due to unfounded fears of ....them?!

so thats just the business, I guess! You sound like you don't fall for "it" but almost every day theres a thread like this , and it's much the same!

(Sigh..) (...but Smile)

 

[ICIT2LOL]

Bit like a dog chasing it's tail!

You cant stop can you!

Well the companies love the switching and going from free to pay constantly, due to unfounded fears of ....them?!

so thats just the business, I guess! You sound like you don't fall for "it" but almost every day theres a thread like this , and it's much the same!

(Sigh..) (...but Smile)

Nah!!

 

[XboxOmac]

I recommend Microsoft Security Essentials or Avast!. They're both free and trusted.

Sent from my Windows Phone using Board Express

 

[rubyrubyroo]

I recommend Microsoft Security Essentials or Avast!. They're both free and trusted.

Sent from my Windows Phone using Board Express

I'm SOLD, everyone SWITCH !

I'm actually kidding, or 1/2 way at least....I actually install Avast or Avira on most computer I work on, when the person has no idea what virus protection they want, simply because they're free, quick/easy installs, the default settings require little change for standard users and it's nice and user-friendly, simplifying my job to explain much.

But for anyone who reads this thread (assuming there is anyone) you need to clarify

trusted

as it could mean that you blindly trust it, or you researched it in some way!? No one know! It can't really help much is all I am saying to you.

I only point this out, not to pick on you, but because a lot of people post like this.

for instance I despise Norton, because in my experience, I've probably never seen a system being COMPLETELY clean of its remnants after installation. In fact I'll go one step further and say about 3-4 times (before I knew better) I tried uninstalling it through the included uninstaller or Windows uninstall app, and as I was uninstalling in the foreground, I saw 2 Norton Installation windows with the "now installing" and "Welcome to Norton" titles in the background with the progress bars moving twice as fast. Sure enough a new install was there when I was done asking for me to try a trial run!

Thanks,
Mike

 

[Darryl Licht]

...for instance I despise Norton, because in my experience, I've probably never seen a system being COMPLETELY clean of its remnants after installation. In fact I'll go one step further and say about 3-4 times (before I knew better) I tried uninstalling it through the included uninstaller or Windows uninstall app, and as I was uninstalling in the foreground, I saw 2 Norton Installation windows with the "now installing" and "Welcome to Norton" titles in the background with the progress bars moving twice as fast. Sure enough a new install was there when I was done asking for me to try a trial run!

Thanks,
Mike

You must be speaking of the Norton of old...

YES, Norton did have issues like that with older versions (2002-2006 era). It was also a HUGE resource PIG! Those of us "in the know" used the Norton Removal Tool to completely clean these systems. But many of the removal issues stemmed from end users upgrading versions year after year, without ever removing the previous versions.

Over the years Ive used many products on my personal machines: Avast, AVG, McAffee, MS Security Essentials, Norton, PC-cillian and others. I have supported PC's and Networks with nearly every brand over the last 20 years and I have seen most fail at simple tasks such as preventing malware infections.

I'm sorry but AVG and Avast are 2 of the worst offenders as far as being "protected" and still allowing infections in... In my experience! Granted some of that can be attributed to user error (not updating regularly), but I find less of these infections with the paid for versions. I truly believe that any FREE AV is inferior to a paid for AV product... especially if that company offers both. Where would you put your R&D $$$, the free or paid for app?

Unlike many competitors (McAffee), Norton has truly learned from their mistakes. The new Norton (2009-present) is a lean, mean, virus eating machine! I said it earlier, but Norton has been voted the best AV product for the last 3-4 years by most of the big PC magazines. <-- A title everyone wants! Most mags have Norton and Kaspersky at/near the top!

 

[rubyrubyroo]

@Darryl Licht,

Funny how distrusting you seem to be with the evils of the internet (and rightly so), yet how trusting you are of the "Top Shelf" magazine(s)! Such a prestiges, coveted placing by the tests that you blindly trust, surely couldn't have their data skewed toward a company by other means. Oddly, the company that takes in the highest revenue was the winner! Lucky break I bet! I sure feel confident with that medal hanging around Norton's neck...

I do agree about how Norton has improved over the years, and the time period seems about right >2005/6. The virus protection is good, no real problems with that, although In my experience there is no noticeable difference in the infection rates of Norton and many of the free products other companies offer. (with the exception of a few including AVG, which used to be a far superior) Avast, Avira, MSE, etc. all have free versions which I believe to be equivalent in protection (although most free products are missing some features - ID protection, or a firewall, etc. - and if someone needs these, then they need the payed version, obviously!) For the average home user, windows firewall is sufficient, and they should be using better browsing practices if they cannot control their "ID", as these components can't protect them if they don't know anything about internet/id security.

As to your question where would I allocate my company's resources, I believe I would do the same as most companies undoubtedly do. I wouldn't separate a product and pay to establish two finely tuned separate applications, I'd make one, and lock out some features and required a key/serial to open the product to paying customers. I would constantly dangle the "Wonderfully More Effective Paid Version" in banners and grayed out buttons in the software (sounding familiar yet?) And if there was one pitfall I would avoid, it would be to let the FREE VERSION be anything short of the best I could make, because I would realize how much free advertising it would provide me with. And I would also be quite certain, if a free-version user was given less protection, and any type of infection bypassed the free software, I would never get a penny for that person, and possibly all those they talk to. If I lose a paid customer for a similar reason, it's due to the software in general having some flaw, a separate issue. The free-version customers who are happy soon start to wonder and rationalize the differences between the two, and come to the most realistic conclusion: "Just like with most anything, you get what you pay for." So they believe for such a small price ($30 - $50 per year usually) that the paid-version must be so much better than the free-version. So they upgrade and feel so much more protected. Why ever go "Back" to the free version at that point? Why did they leave in the first place? It's just the enticement of that greener grass.

We will have to agree to disagree, because I only recommend something tangible, like equal rates of infection on a computer I am placing my hands on. Even if I somehow trusted the source with 100% and was supplied with reproducible results, that I tested myself identically to the "study". If the computers I encounter do not follow the same trend, I simply will not advise someone based on anything other than experience (assuming one has a large enough sampling of customers computers). Some external factors must not have been accounted for. So maybe your clients are of some different "grouping" than mine. I really have no idea. If so, your point my be just as valid as mine. Aside from the magazine bias.

That's just how I run my show.




Sincerely,
Mike



(I can really see how useful these "which anti-virus software is the best one in the world?" threads can be!)

 

[ICIT2LOL]

"Just like with most anything, you get what you pay for." So they believe for such a small price ($30 - $50 per year usually) that the paid-version must be so much better than the free-version. So they upgrade and feel so much more protected.

Agree Mike when you really look at it the "benefits of the paid are sometimes infinitesimal - suppose one could say that about 7 pro and Ultimate eh? (for the average user of course)

Plus again I reckon that there is so much talked about paid over free and I just am amazed to what lengths some do to get free when (for instance) my KIS works out at $0.17 a day now I wouldn't get sugar for my coffee for that - does not make sense, err well unless you are broke and if you are you won't be able to afford the power to run it anyway!

We also mentioned somewhere along the line too that it is the individuals responsibly to watch where one goes on the net and take care with emails I mean are people really that lazy they expect something or someone to do it automatically for them all the time. To back myself up (no pun Mike) I have some pretty ordinary machines just lately but I suppose in one or two cases and in their defence usually from individuals who are not aware of what is waiting in ambush.

 

[killjoy]

You probably get a free antivirus from your internet provider. Mine is Comcast and they give away Norton 360 latest version for free.

 

[ICIT2LOL]

You probably get a free antivirus from your internet provider. Mine is Comcast and they give away Norton 360 latest version for free.

Hum just factory defaulted an HP Pavilion that had bundled Snorton and it picked up two malwares as did Malwarebytes.

Installed Comodo Premium free and dug out 52! so as far as I am concerned Snorton is an over rated piece of junk.

 

[killjoy]

Performance may vary. LOL, you speak in absolutes.

I've had computer customers pay me to take all the crap off that comes with a new HP because they couldn't figure it out themselves. And I charge a hundred bucks for this because it takes me half a day. Talk about your seemingly endless reboots and setting adjustments! What you probably saw was something that HP put on there. It should be illegal all the stuff they put on their machines. They're essentially using your computer as a marketing server.

 

[ICIT2LOL]

Performance may vary. LOL, you speak in absolutes.

I've had computer customers pay me to take all the crap off that comes with a new HP because they couldn't figure it out themselves. And I charge a hundred bucks for this because it takes me half a day. Talk about your seemingly endless reboots and setting adjustments! What you probably saw was something that HP put on there. It should be illegal all the stuff they put on their machines. They're essentially using your computer as a marketing server.

Yeah I know what you mean it's bloated to hell and back and the worst one one in my mind is Snorton mate. I don't charge anything cos I am not a qualified tech and just do this for a hobby and workmates (mostly poorly paid nursing and domestic staff) who cannot afford the prices you tech blokes charge them.

 

[killjoy]

By the way, I like Comodo. I'm trying to think of a way to uninstall Norton's firewall and use Comodo's. I also like the company and the way they do business. Good choice.

 

[killjoy]

I do that. I have a rich person's price and a poor person's price. And if they're really old, I don't charge them anything because they have no idea what I'm talking about and they ask endless questions and I want to be able to say "well, gotta go" at my convenience after I get done fixing their email problem or some nonsense like that.

Lol, you're cracking me up.

 

[ICIT2LOL]

I do that. I have a rich person's price and a poor person's price. And if they're really old, I don't charge them anything because they have no idea what I'm talking about and they ask endless questions and I want to be able to say "well, gotta go" at my convenience after I get done fixing their email problem or some nonsense like that.

Lol, you're cracking me up.

Well at least you are not like some of the parasites that I had to go to before I got into doing it myself. For example my first Toshiba laptop - two weeks out of warranty and the ratbags charged me $500 for new hard drive

So in my book you are decent fellow.

The Comodo I agree I like the security in whatever form you want it and I am itching to try their email ,and browser as they have some really good sounding security features that at first glance look like an improvement on Google and IE.

Getting rid of these damn bloat games is taking so long as the are so well hidden by HP eh?

Don't get me wrong I reckon HP make a top machine the build quality is excellent but the bloat - dear me the bloat.:huh:

 

[killjoy]

I like HP's but I hate their software. For instance, their printer software is almost as large as Microsoft Office! Good lord! What are they doing with all that code!

Concerning Comodo firewall, I installed it a few years back and they hadn't developed it fully because it was constantly asking me to verify services. I'm sure I was secure, but I couldn't get anything done. But I installed it recently and it may be my lack of knowledge, but their FIREWALL looked more powerful than a lot of antivirus programs I've seen. I predict that in the not-so-distant-future, there will be so many viruses out there that everyone's antivirus will resemble Comodo's firewall - that is, blocking based on information in the cloud and stopping services and applications based on behavior. If my Norton wasn't free to me, I'd have ClamWin and Comodo firewall and nothing else besides a browser that was armed to the teeth.

 

[killjoy]

I'll tell you another reason I like Comodo. They are by far THE experts on firewalls, and it seems to me that the best way to keep your system clean is to not allow the bad guys in in the first place. Most firewalls are based on a clunky iptable configuration. But Comodo uses tables, behavior AND the cloud. So, it seems to me that a good antivirus should be tied at the hip with a good firewall and both made by the same vendor because they rely on each other AND you don't want to duplicate features. If Comodo doesn't score as well as say KIS or norton on a scan, then I say big deal because these companies are scanning infected systems. How about keeping a system clean so that scans aren't needed? That's the future of antivirus.