Never in my life have I trusted in PC Tools

[Anti_Virus]

Never in my life have I trusted in PC Tools company and its products. The reasons for their unreliability:

1. Strategy of massive advertisements.
2. Changing types of licences of their products. (e.g. from shareware to freeware)
3. Instant release of freeware pruducts.
4. Often conflicts with other security software.
5. The last, but the most important; need of sending in and out packets when there is no update.

For that reasons, I never trust in this company and personally my computer is closed to any kind their produtcs.

[proactivelover]

-{ Quote: "Never in my life have I trusted in PC Tools company and its products. The reasons for their unreliability:

1. Strategy of massive advertisements.
2. Changing types of licences of their products. (e.g. from shareware to freeware)
3. Instant release of freeware pruducts.
4. Often conflicts with other security software.
5. The last, but the most important; need of sending in and out packets when there is no update.

For that reasons, I never trust in this company and personally my computer is closed to any kind their produtcs." }-
how about Spyware Terminator

[Peter2150]

-{ Quote: "Never in my life have I trusted in PC Tools company and its products. The reasons for their unreliability:

1. Strategy of massive advertisements.
2. Changing types of licences of their products. (e.g. from shareware to freeware)
3. Instant release of freeware pruducts.
4. Often conflicts with other security software.
5. The last, but the most important; need of sending in and out packets when there is no update.

For that reasons, I never trust in this company and personally my computer is closed to any kind their produtcs." }-

Hi Anti_Virus

Welcome to Wilders. Very curious first post. Care to share your motive for this post.

Pete

[ejr]

-{ Quote: "Never in my life have I trusted in PC Tools company and its products. The reasons for their unreliability:

1. Strategy of massive advertisements.
2. Changing types of licences of their products. (e.g. from shareware to freeware)
3. Instant release of freeware pruducts.
4. Often conflicts with other security software.
5. The last, but the most important; need of sending in and out packets when there is no update.

For that reasons, I never trust in this company and personally my computer is closed to any kind their produtcs." }-

I have slowly but surely come around to your line of thinking. I wanted to believe in Spyware Doctor. I used to defend the company and their product. But no more. I actually think they have a good idea in Spyware Doctor. It has strong detection and removal capabilities and an impressive list of active protections.

But in the last 3 months I have seen this company do some things that would be considered borderline unethical and other things that are flat out unethical, including:

1. The limited nature of their free trial. The trial is free, but the software is crippled. It will tell you that you have malware, but it won't remove the malware unless you buy the product. That's borderline sleazy.

2. False positives. I got 2 false positive in 2 months of using the product. So if you have a clean machine, you download their product, it detects a false positive and then goads you into buying the software. Again, borderline sleazy.

3. The last false positive detected the entire ESET folder on my machine as 182 infections. Labeled it a TROJAN. I truly believe this was done on purpose to retaliate because NOD 32 detected the PC tools beta version 2 days earlier as malware. This was clearly unethical.

4. Spyware Doctor Hijacks your skype. The default setting on SD places and advertisement in your skype and doesn't tell you. That's adware. That is what the program is designed to prevent. That's unethical. Under the options section you can tell the program not to do this. But the reference is vague and the default setting of the program places the add.

5. Spyware Doctor also installs the google toolbar on your machine by default upon installation. You can tell it not to, but you must closely look at the installation to see this. Again, borderline unethical. Definitely a questionable assocaition as Google is a total antiprivacy company. Google saves every gmail and every google search, indexes that information and creates a profile on you. They then sell this information to advertisers. For a product that is supposed to stop adware, this association is questionable at best.

So I view PC Tools as the used car salesman or ambulance chasing lawyer of the security world. Questionable ethics at best. I won't isntall their stuff on my machines again either.

[ejr]

-{ Quote: "how about Spyware Terminator" }-

Oh boy...is there controversy with this company too? I just uninstalled a PC Tools product and installed this one. I like the program. They seem to support the product well. But addmittedly I am ignorant of the whole Crawler association or even who crawler is.

[lodore]

i dont trust spyware terminator with a barge poll.
lodore

[ejr]

-{ Quote: "i dont trust spyware terminator with a barge poll.
lodore" }-

Oh no, not again. I have a way of picking 'em huh?

[lodore]

well maybe crawler have cleaned up there act and want to help people stop spyware now but i highly doubt it!
anyway what is your complete secuirty setup?
do you really need a realtime antispyware?
lodore

[Tomaszek]

I'm using Spyware Doctor for a year now. At start I was happy but in the last couple of month in fact it starts to look worst and worst. First thing was with this skype stuff (In the first version there was no option for preventing it from displaying advert) now I see that it constantly utilizes more and more computer resources - it slows down my PC significantly. So I go here to see what the opinions are about SD and found this topic. My licence expires for 90 days and I'm sure I not going to buy this product again. I'm thinking about switching to spyware sweeper now espetially that it was other product I was about to buy last time. Unfortunatelly I chosen Spyware Doctor than.

[Mrkvonic]

Hello,
Spyware Doctor is one huge FP.
Mrk

[lodore]

@Tomaszek,
one note spysweeper is a resourse hog as well an has quite alot of bugs even thou they fixed quite alot in 5.3. if you have the shields on and close ie7 then it blue screens.
i would reccomend superantispyware pro,av antispyware or trend micro antispy.
lodore

[Tomaszek]

Thank you lodore for your info. As I wrtie I have still about 90 days to think what tool shall I use instead. I'm running Zone Alarm Security Suite and I added SD some time ago as ZASS's antispyware failed to stop some troians (but must admitt that it also points me that something is wrong). As they improved antispyware module since then may be that I will try to get rid of SD and continue using only ZASS? Or at least only some on demand scanner. I will surely come back on Wilders forum in search of info that will help me to make right decision. Thanx again.

[lodore]

zone alarm have addressed that issue.
the new zone alarm now uses the kaspersky engine!
the antispyware apps i reccomended i would be happy to use any of those on my own pc.
lodore

[btman]

-{ Quote: "I have slowly but surely come around to your line of thinking. I wanted to believe in Spyware Doctor. I used to defend the company and their product. But no more. I actually think they have a good idea in Spyware Doctor. It has strong detection and removal capabilities and an impressive list of active protections.

But in the last 3 months I have seen this company do some things that would be considered borderline unethical and other things that are flat out unethical, including:" }-

Ok. PC Tools and Spyware Terminator are both good legit programs with minor problems. ST has the past... SD has lots of little issues. But this is about SD so..

1. Yes, but as crappy as it is... It will make it so people buy the product more... I myself haven't spent a dime on AVG free, A-Squared free, and SUPER free.... If all these did what PC tools does I would have boughten 2 of them for sure because they are great programs.

2. You are over exaggerating. Two is a very small #. Stop making it seem horrible.

3. If you are wrong, then yeah big mistake, but it was fixed fast... If you were right... Well hell, if I had software and another guys software was trying to remove mine... I might detect there's too if it would make it fix the FP faster. Although PC Tools did detect Eset wrongfully after Eset detected PC tools. Both FP were fixed relatively fast so get over it. And honestly, most people know Eset is legit. Then they cry to PC tools because they quarantined or removed NOD32 after it detected it... That's partially PC Tools fault but you think you could have used some common sense and report the FP's before you go and do something that you basically know will have a bad consequence.

4.Skype? Never used it. No comment.

5.I clearly saw the no google toolbar option.

Honestly.... Keep arguing this at the PC Tools board, by doing it here your just convincing people that PC Tools is bad. When Spyware Doctor it's a legit product.

[Marcos]

-{ Quote: "
3. If you are wrong, then yeah big mistake, but it was fixed fast... If you were right... Well hell, if I had software and another guys software was trying to remove mine... I might detect there's too if it would make it fix the FP faster. Although PC Tools did detect Eset wrongfully after Eset detected PC tools. Both FP were fixed relatively fast so get over it. And honestly, most people know Eset is legit. Then they cry to PC tools because they quarantined or removed NOD32 after it detected it... That's partially PC Tools fault but you think you could have used some common sense and report the FP's before you go and do something that you basically know will have a bad consequence.
" }-

Equaling heuristic detection triggered by a suspicious program behavior with an intentionally picked up signature that detects all kinds of NOD32 files (including readme.txt) is ridiculous.

[RejZoR]

It's impossible to wrongfully detect TXT file as malware. Especially a Readme file. Also same detection acros all kinds of files is pretty much impossible...

[ejr]

btman...I am done with the PC tools board and the PC Tools company. I went and unsubscribed from all the threads on their message baord. They are going to deny that they deliberately detecetd NOD32 as a trojan. So I see no need to go back and discuss it with them. The more I probe, the more they will lie about it.

For me, it's all about trust. I can't trust the security of my PC to a company that I believe is unethical. Me and the folks at PC Tools are never going to see eye to eye on a mumber of ethical issues. So I might as well just sever ties and move on. No need to keep discussing things on their board. If you or other people like their product and trust the company, by all means, use their product. I am just explaining why I won't use them. There are obviously other people in this forum that have the same opinion as I do as I wasn't event the person that started this thread.

As for not discussing this issue in this forum, why not? Isn't that what the "other antimalware" forum is all about? Aren't we supposed to discuss our opinions of other antimalware products that aren't covered in the other user forums?

If you or others think that I am beating a dead horse and are tired of hearing about this issue, please let me know and I will certainly stop discussing it.

[Perman]

Hi, folks: If I were a sort of responsible exe within PC Tools Company, I would have jumped out of woods and to defend my company vigorously by now. As late as last year, we,members here, often had some sort of sweet talks from some guys, one of them claimed himself as CEO,or president, sort of, to brag his proud innovations. They mingled very well w/ members and perhaps managed to scoop few subscribers. Where are they? do not care? Pitty. I used spyware doctor until very recently, I thought it earned some merits, I was going to say few encouranging words, and then changed heart and mind, why would I do it for them, if they do not even care. I think it is always a very easy decision to dump something you could spit at it. Long fa-- PC tools. :'(

[pilotart]

The Spyware Warrior List (http://www.spywarewarrior.com/rogue_anti-spyware.htm#top)
-{ Quote: "There are several excellent anti-spyware scanners available -- some free, some for pay. These include (but are not limited to):
Ad-aware
AVG Anti-Spyware
Pest Patrol
Spy Sweeper
Spyware Doctor
SUPERAntiSpyware
Windows Defender" }-
and... (from their Forum: searched for Spyware Doctor)
I still would not ever buy Spyware Doctor either, for instance, even though it is among the recommended few. (http://spywarewarrior.com/viewtopic.php?t=23825&highlight=spyware+doctor)

Having never used Spyware Doctor (or any other PC Tool) I cannot comment, except that I would have trusted the above source on the subject. ???

[btman]

-{ Quote: "
As for not discussing this issue in this forum, why not? Isn't that what the "other antimalware" forum is all about? Aren't we supposed to discuss our opinions of other antimalware products that aren't covered in the other user forums?

If you or others think that I am beating a dead horse and are tired of hearing about this issue, please let me know and I will certainly stop discussing it." }-

I don't think your beating a dead horse... But your putting down a decent program that doesn't entirely deserve it... I did like your discussion on the PC Tools board though... Because I hope they do change some of there marketing decisions....

I'm still gonna be happy when/if Spyware Doctor with the anti-virus module goes on av comparatives.

[ejr]

Thought you guys might want a good laugh. Here is the official PC Tools explanation of the false positive with NOD32 (as posted on their support forum):

"The reason of how ESET was accidently added to the database is that it had been noticed from log files received that a trojan had been dropping into the ESET folder. (Obviously this was some kind of attack against NOD32, unknown at the time)

Unfortunately the Malware Analyst that added the signature did not realise that ESET was actually NOD32 and assumed that the ESET folder itself was added by the trojan.

A mistake was made and the lesson has been learned."

Anyway, I'm sure that they realize that most users aren't technically savvy enough (myself included) to see through this nonsense. And even if their explanation were true (which I doubt), it would be a horrendous example of incompetance. I tend to believe that the people at PC Tools know what they are doing quite a bit better than that.

Anyway, time to let go of the incident. I told myself that I wouldn't go back to their website, but it's almost like a train wreck that I can't stop staring at. Time to move on.

[Mrkvonic]

Hello,
My grandmother would have made a more professional excuse.
Mrk

[LoneWolf]

Yet another reason to avoid SD. Tryed it some time ago,not impressed.

[ccsito]

-{ Quote: "


5. The last, but the most important; need of sending in and out packets when there is no update.

" }-

I wondered if this is true for the users of the PC Tools firewall?

[btman]

PC Tools recently removed detection for Bearshare when I posted it... Before I put it on the forums I contacted support TWICE and over like a total of 6 responds from them (and replies from me) they still didn't remove Bearshare. This has also made me believe that PC Tools is again heading in the right direction.

They had also fixed the other 2 false positives I had found.

[Perman]

Hi, folks: If (perhaps a BIG if) PC tools is heading the right direction, they should at least have a gut to do the right thing right on this thread; clear the dirty air, that smog is chokking its glory future(if there is one). C'mon, do the honorable thing; come out of the woods. ???

[ejr]

-{ Quote: "I don't think your beating a dead horse... But your putting down a decent program that doesn't entirely deserve it... I did like your discussion on the PC Tools board though... Because I hope they do change some of there marketing decisions....

I'm still gonna be happy when/if Spyware Doctor with the anti-virus module goes on av comparatives." }-

Well...I do give the program credit where it is due. I have on multiple occasions given them praise for the the active shields as well as the percentage of spyware that their product detects and removes. So in those regards, the company makes a good product if all you want to look at is detectional and removal rates and I have pointed that out.

I have also pointed out where they have crossed the ethical line in my opinion. Of course, ethics aren't black and white. But if they deliberately put a FP in their product as it appears, that isn't just crossing the line, that is doing a celebration dance all over the line as they cross it. We also have the SKYPE hijack that advertises their product without your knowledge. These are black and white, clear violations of ethics. Then a number of other things are borderline calls, yet they always end to be on the shady side of the border.

So I must disagree with you in your assessment that I am being unfair. I believe that I am actually being perfectly fair, giving them credit where credit is due and calling them out when they have crossed the line. PC Tools makes a solid product (minues the false positives) but has chosen the low road, not the high road.

So how is it that you perceive this to be unfair?

[btman]

-{ Quote: "
So I must disagree with you in your assessment that I am being unfair. I believe that I am actually being perfectly fair, giving them credit where credit is due and calling them out when they have crossed the line. PC Tools makes a solid product (minues the false positives) but has chosen the low road, not the high road.

So how is it that you perceive this to be unfair?" }-

I said because they don't entirely deserve it... Atleast they are better then they were in version 3 and 3.4.

You are angry at them for the FP which I understand, but both are fixed.. And also it was one guy who added it to the database.. I'm sure he got alot of heck for doing it from both Eset and PC Tools. And you also don't like them because they advertise... Bad. But the reason I am not is... Because I am trialling (and maybe will pay for when the trial runs out) there program because it has good detection and protects against lots of malware... Thats all I want it to do... I don't care how they advertise as long as it does its job. Which is why I've forgiven them for silly mistakes.

At least when your giving your Thumbs up/down review for Spyware Doctor... You could be like I hate PC Tools because they did this: But Spyware Doctor is a great program.

[ejr]

btman...yes, I am angry at PC Tools. I need to let that go. I really just need to stop going to their forum. I have spoken my peace, probably more than my fair share.

I do think they deserve every bit of negative press about certain underhanded practices that they employ. Maybe, just maybe that will get them to reconsider their stance.

But hey, it's their business, they can run it how they choose. And I as a consumer can choose not to support it. But I gotta let go of the negativity. I think I got it all out now.