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Hi,
In the past, I've used Norton Anti-Virus (usually gotten as part of Systemworks or the previous equivalents). For various reasons, I decided when I did my new system installation, I would find an alternative. I had pretty much settled on AVG.
Realizing that the latest version I had was already several months old, I went to their site to download the latest version, only to find that the word 'Free' is no longer mentioned. Instead, it is now called a 30-day trial, so I am in bit of a quandry.
Can someone tell me if AVG is still basically free, in spite of mention of a 30-day trial, or does it really inactivate after 30 days (or not allow you to download virus sigs, etc.)?
If AVG is no longer really free, what alternatives are there? A few months ago I read a computer mag column on viruses in one my local libraries, and they slammed most of the best-known commercial A-V programs for various reasons. AVG got one of their highest recommendations; I think they mentioned some other ones, but I didn't note the names since I was already leaning towards AVG.
Heh, I don't remember what mag it was or which library it was at, so don't know if I could even refind the article.
Any comments would be appreciated, thanks.
Regards,
Dako-ta
"The true test of a man's intelligence is how much he agrees with you."
Posts: 1,991
Threads: 103
Joined: May 2003
Dako-ta,Sep 18 2005, 08:31 PM Wrote:Hi,
In the past, I've used Norton Anti-Virus (usually gotten as part of Systemworks or the previous equivalents). For various reasons, I decided when I did my new system installation, I would find an alternative. I had pretty much settled on AVG.
Realizing that the latest version I had was already several months old, I went to their site to download the latest version, only to find that the word 'Free' is no longer mentioned. Instead, it is now called a 30-day trial, so I am in bit of a quandry.
Can someone tell me if AVG is still basically free, in spite of mention of a 30-day trial, or does it really inactivate after 30 days (or not allow you to download virus sigs, etc.)?
If AVG is no longer really free, what alternatives are there? A few months ago I read a computer mag column on viruses in one my local libraries, and they slammed most of the best-known commercial A-V programs for various reasons. AVG got one of their highest recommendations; I think they mentioned some other ones, but I didn't note the names since I was already leaning towards AVG.
Heh, I don't remember what mag it was or which library it was at, so don't know if I could even refind the article.
Any comments would be appreciated, thanks.
Regards,
Dako-ta
"The true test of a man's intelligence is how much he agrees with you."
[right][snapback]89594[/snapback][/right]
Stop using Windows.
This is my best advice. Not a flame, or anything like that. Get Linux. It's free.
All alone, or in twos,
The ones who really love you
Walk up and down outside the wall.
Some hand in hand
And some gathered together in bands.
The bleeding hearts and artists
Make their stand.
And when they've given you their all
Some stagger and fall, after all it's not easy
Banging your heart against some mad buggers wall.
"Isn't this where...."
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Threads: 2
Joined: Sep 2004
Doc,Sep 18 2005, 08:36 PM Wrote:Stop using Windows.
This is my best advice. Not a flame, or anything like that. Get Linux. It's free.
[right][snapback]89595[/snapback][/right] This is really pretty OT, but what Linux boot would you suggest for someone interested in trying it? I know there are a lot of different versions that vary in ease of use.
In regards to the original question, even with most versions of Norton Antivirus you have to pay for virus definition updates after a while. I think that's becoming pretty widespread at this point.
Arnath
Posts: 1,991
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Joined: May 2003
Arnath,Sep 18 2005, 08:43 PM Wrote:This is really pretty OT, but what Linux boot would you suggest for someone interested in trying it? I know there are a lot of different versions that vary in ease of use.
In regards to the original question, even with most versions of Norton Antivirus you have to pay for virus definition updates after a while. I think that's becoming pretty widespread at this point.
Arnath
[right][snapback]89597[/snapback][/right]
Any of the Newbie Distros.
Try Redhat. Ubuntu. Look around on a nix site and see what is listed as the most popular distro for noobs.
Don't do anything stupid like downloading Slackware and expect a great user experience though.
Infact, there are a couple of linux distros out there now I am told that are easier to install and use than Windows, just so long as you don't change much of anything or do any custom tweaking. It's kind of like having an old Ford. You could have any colour you wanted, so long as it's black.
Or, get a Mac. With OSX. It's the future of Nix. Just about everybody who knows what they are talking about agrees with that now. When the Mac moves to Intel chips, pretty soon every x86 nix program out there now will be able to run on OSX.
All alone, or in twos,
The ones who really love you
Walk up and down outside the wall.
Some hand in hand
And some gathered together in bands.
The bleeding hearts and artists
Make their stand.
And when they've given you their all
Some stagger and fall, after all it's not easy
Banging your heart against some mad buggers wall.
"Isn't this where...."
Posts: 4,063
Threads: 68
Joined: Feb 2003
Hi,
Well, so far you've received *less* than one useful piece of advice from someone who clearly woke up on the troll side of his bed today.
I'd love to help more, but I've not used any of the stuff that's available for free. But I figure a link to a site where some of that stuff is available for download will be more useful than telling you to get a Commodore PET.
--Pete
How big was the aquarium in Noah's ark?
Posts: 1,991
Threads: 103
Joined: May 2003
Pete,Sep 18 2005, 08:54 PM Wrote:Hi,
Well, so far you've received *less* than one useful piece of advice from someone who clearly woke up on the troll side of his bed today.
I'd love to help more, but I've not used any of the stuff that's available for free. But I figure a link to a site where some of that stuff is available for download will be more useful than telling you to get a Commodore PET.
--Pete
[right][snapback]89599[/snapback][/right]
Now now Pete, that's an unfair statement. I started that post to help some Lurkers blow off steam. It's satire. It's a running gag. Things said in there are not serious.
And just to set the record straight, I never got out of bed today. I haven't been to bed in a while actually. Hmm.
You want useful advice?
Loggon to Limewire and download whatever virus software you want for free. They come with a serial # password crack. And they are free.
Didn't say it was the right advice, just that it was useful.
All alone, or in twos,
The ones who really love you
Walk up and down outside the wall.
Some hand in hand
And some gathered together in bands.
The bleeding hearts and artists
Make their stand.
And when they've given you their all
Some stagger and fall, after all it's not easy
Banging your heart against some mad buggers wall.
"Isn't this where...."
Posts: 465
Threads: 46
Joined: Feb 2003
Yes, it is still free, you just have to dig around for days to find it.
WWBBD?
Posts: 3,499
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Posts: 946
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I use Antivir. It is free with daily updates.
Free Antivir
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Joined: Feb 2003
09-19-2005, 04:27 AM
(This post was last modified: 09-19-2005, 04:39 AM by Roland.)
Arnath,Sep 18 2005, 08:43 PM Wrote:This is really pretty OT, but what Linux boot would you suggest for someone interested in trying it? I know there are a lot of different versions that vary in ease of use.
In regards to the original question, even with most versions of Norton Antivirus you have to pay for virus definition updates after a while. I think that's becoming pretty widespread at this point.
Arnath
[right][snapback]89597[/snapback][/right]
Mandrake all the way. By far and away the best distro out there, especially after Red Hat disappeared. I don't trust Fedora Core, and was already leaning away from Red Hat before they dropped their support, but Mandrake has only gotten better (and it was damn good to begin with). 10+ is simply THE best Linux distro I've seen, especially for a newbie.
Edit:
Evidently, it's now "Mandriva Linux". I like the old name better. Ah well. It's still the same, incredibly great distro that it's always been. :)
Roland *The Gunslinger*
Posts: 1,269
Threads: 82
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DeeBye,Sep 19 2005, 02:58 AM Wrote:Behold the mighty hyperlink!
[right][snapback]89604[/snapback][/right] *Beholds*
*Also appreciates the fact that he has a hard drive partition that contains about 90% of his entire downloads that he hasn't had the heart to delete, which also includes a fairly recent install of AVG. Useful for OS reinstalls*
All hail the mighty F:\Downloads directory.
When in mortal danger,
When beset by doubt,
Run in little circles,
Wave your arms and shout.
BattleTag: Schrau#2386
Posts: 76
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Joined: Feb 2003
DeeBye,Sep 19 2005, 02:58 AM Wrote:Behold the mighty hyperlink!
[right][snapback]89604[/snapback][/right]
Thanks, DeeBye, for the most helpful response, but thanks to everyone else for their contributions.
Puzzling, it is. I was at "a" Grisoft.com site, but the appearance was a little different, and, as I mentioned, there was no mention of a free version on the 2-3 pages I checked. I wonder if they have different pages appear, depending on where you link from or something? Is that possible?
Anyway, since the free version is still available, I think I will try it out.
I was unable to access the Antivir site. Tried a few times, then searched thru Google and tried that link, but still no luck. Maybe the site was down for maintenance. But I might check them out again another day.
As far as Linux goes, I've been intending to try a Linux install for a coulple/few years now, but somehow, I just never get a "round tuit." I have 3-4 versions laying around here, all getting a little dated by now, I suppose.
In fact, I have Red Hat Professional 6.2 , which is about a dozen CD's of all kinds of Linux stuff (got it for 1 cent at CompUSA, shortly before a new version came out - probably ver. 7). Is this still usable, or would I be better off getting a newer version if I did get around to doing a Linux install? Most of my hardware is at least a couple of years old, so except for my DVD burner, I don't think I'd need to worry about drivers newer than the Linux 6.2.
Regards,
Dako-ta
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