Some questions that are not important to anyone but me...

[Mecha Sonic]

Ah, that's funny.

But how come AntiVir doesn't let me know when it's scanning emails and such? And why does it ask me if I wanna disconnect after I download an update? (when I pick No, it closes the program)

[scoleman69]

OK, I asked this before on the chat room, but didn't get a satisfying answer: Before i installed AVG Free anti-virus, it said I had an out-dated version of Roxio CD and DVD Creator 5 that can cause problems with AVG. It gave me a link to an update installer, but I couldn't install it. It said "This update is for CDR4 drivers 7.1 and above". Thinking there was nothing else I could do, I just installed AVG anyway. What kind of problems will arise, if any?

Isn't there anyone out there who can and will actually answer the question with something other an an alternate anti-vir...

Myself and many others do not wish to give up the long time excellent service and protection that AVG has provided for personal use FREE... if it don't work for you, fine, but it's worked for many... notwithstanding the pointed remarks to the contrary...

FWIW I stay connected to the Net 24/7/365, don't use Willie's firewall (or anything else of his I absolutely. positively don't have to), haven't updated Win XP since they went to the intrusive Installer & Updater many moons ago, avoid EI like the plague, have used the excellent Firefox browser for quite some time ( I can just feel the recent doubters stirring... save it! ), run Adaware and Spybot regularly, do have the modem providing some hardware firewall, and the renowned ZoneAlarm when I feel the need for a software firewall... and haven't had near as much trouble or problems using this regimen of all the ones I've used in the 20 years I've been flying the wire... so until I have good personal reasons to change I'll jes stick with AGV... thank you very much... ;)

100% positively correct answers are appreciated.

As originally asked... if you don't know the answer, or at least have a clue other than to debate the merits of one "free" anti-vir vs another then please save the BW...

Real answers, or solutions to this issue would be greatly appreciated...

With all due respect to all the other great anti-virs out there... YMMV...

SC

[Deathblane]

You have to fill in a form on the web page for a permanent Avast key, but two years into using it and I've never had a virus.

[Ishach]

Just keep windows up to date and use some common sense. I havent had any troubles with viruses in 2+ years of being constantly connected to the internet on a DMZ.


Antivirus, Spyware scanners, software firewalls, The cure is worse than the disease

[rattle]

Agreed. I've been telling people that and they were calling me an idiot in return... what good is the best virus scanner if it eats your system resources or prevents you from booting incase a dll goes missing.

Haven't had any troubles either once switching over to Firefox... most worms before (like one in half a year) were because of a well known (and still working IIRC) IE exploit.

[Caydr]

But I like AVG, and I don't need a great anti-virus software. I was vulnerable for 4 years and never got a single virus. I just wanna know if there's a fix to these problems AVG said it would have.

Studies show it takes an unprotected computer an anywhere between 40 seconds and 14 minutes to be infected by malware by simply being connected tot he internet with the suer doing nothing.

Studies are a load of crap then, unless there's some super-secret hacker who does nothing but read my school notes. Security on my computer is so bad, you could probably hack it by accident. No firewall and I'm DMZ'd. I run AVG (my only antivirus program) so rarely it practically reaches out and kicks me in the ass telling me off for letting it go unpatched for so long.

I think the secret is: Don't let idiot siblings/parents click on anything labelled "free". By simply avoiding this one word, "free", you are basically immune to every scam on the internet. I have this huge poster I made up, about 5 sheets of 8.5x11 paper lengthwise that says "Click on anything labeled as "free" and I'll kick your ass so hard your nose will bleed".

*decides to quickly back up all his work*