UK's PC Pro Review

[nonmirecordo]

There is an awful review of NOD in the latest issue of PC Pro

It won't hit the streets for a few days yet (I'm a subscriber) but it won't do UK sales any good at all. The idiot journalist was insulting in his opening sentence and didn't improve much after that.

I'm at work now so I can't give details at the moment. I'll and try and elucidate tonight.

[The_Duality]

I would appreciate if you could post some parts of the review later, Id quite like to read what they had to say.

[Howard]

Originally Posted by The_Duality

I would appreciate if you could post some parts of the review later, Id quite like to read what they had to say.

Here's what PC Pro UK online says in their review earlier this year http://www.pcpro.co.uk/shopper-labs/...rchString=eset

I have read much, much worse:

"We always get a sense of deja vu when testing NOD32. The unusual interface of past versions remains and it won't appeal to everyone, but that's certainly not the most important factor when choosing an anti-virus program. The version we tested was for Windows 2000, XP and Vista; there is also a version for older operating systems from Windows 95 up to Me. You can even get a version for MS-DOS.

The program uses a modular approach, with different windows available to change settings for the email, document, real-time and on-demand scanners. It supports scheduled scans and there are tons of settings to play with. This will be of more interest to serious hobbyists than regular users who just want to install a program and leave it to run in the background.

The ability to create and switch between profiles is a nice touch. This lets you make changes to settings and apply them quickly and easily. You could load strict settings for times when you believe your PC is most at risk and choose a more relaxed profile when the emergency is over.

The last time we tested NOD32, it impressed us with its accuracy and, in our latest and most comprehensive tests, it holds on to its position as one of the front-runners. It detected 76 per cent of the email viruses and 46 per cent of the web-based threats. This means that its email virus detection is in the top five, just beating the Norton and McAfee products. It is also one of the better programs for detecting spyware and similar files, and is just beaten by Kaspersky and Steganos. NOD32's results are virtually identical to those of F-Secure Anti-Virus, which costs £5 more. NOD32 put less strain on our test system than F-Secure's product did.

NOD32 is a serious contender to win this anti-virus group test. However, we cannot ignore the fact that Steganos not only detects more email viruses but costs significantly less to buy and renew."

[Marcos]

Hm, maybe someone else doesn't like the look of NOD32 v2. As for detection, there should be no complaints because the results are constantly getting better and better.

[smith2006]

Originally Posted by Marcos

Hm, maybe someone else doesn't like the look of NOD32 v2. As for detection, there should be no complaints because the results are constantly getting better and better.

How about the look of NOD32 V3.0?

By the way, when will it be launched.

[The_Duality]

Thanks for the post Howard, i tried to find a NOD review on their site but it appears it escaped me I wonder what the review that nonmirecordo posts will be like

Magazine reviews do not really concern me that much, though, I use whatever I like to use. And right now, I like NOD32

[nonmirecordo]

I'm still at work but from memory that previous review bears no relation to the latest one.

Again, from memory, detection was in the low 70s% and the overall rating was 2 stars out of, I think, 6.

Kaspersky was first, Avira second (!).

[The_Duality]

Tests can never show an AV in its true colours. It is very possible to create a test set that NOD will detect 0% of, or indeed any AV solution would detect 0% of. I dont care much for reviews, they serve only to give me that warm fuzzy feeling when they agree on how awesome NOD is

I certainly hope im not turning into one of those "fanboy" characters

[nonmirecordo]

Ok, here's the full review:

Eset Nod32

An eccentric package that gives only average protection.

(pricing/supplier info. follows)

NOD32 means On-Demand Monitor. Confused? Get used to it. While most antivirus products talk about email protection or on-access file scanning, the main NOD32 configuration interface helpfully divides the program's modules up into AMON, DMON, EMON, IMON, and, oddly, NOD32.

The sense of bewilderment this inspires is characteristic of the NOD32 experience. Try to configure and use the software and you'll run into tickboxes that can't be unticked, alerts that appear underneath the active window, and requesters that give you the surprising option of copying malware into quarantine. It even disinfects email in a weird way, making Outlook Express think deleted attachments are still there.

The package does have some positives: CPU and RAM usage are reatively light, and if an email is found to be infected NOD32 intelligently puts the details of the infection right into the subject line for maximum visibility. There's also the sensible option to suppress alerts for a specified period of time, which strikes a great balance between flexibility and security.

At the actual task of finding viruses, however, NOD32 placed in the lower half of the table wirh an overall score of 77%. It made a decent fist of identifying the most common threats, but overlooked a variant of the Spam Tool trojan, which was spotted by every other package.

With its middling antivirus performance and unprofessional user interface, NOD32 fails to impress - even though it's been around for a long time. At this price, it certainly can't compete.

(not spell-checked)

The author of this un-grammatical, inaccurate and sarcastic piece is called Darien Graham-Smith (and judging by his photo, his name suits him). He can be contacted at darien@pcpro.co.uk.

Will someone else please point out to him the error of his ways; if I do, I might end up in court!

Coincidently, I cancelled my subscription to PC Pro last week. Now I know I made the right decision.

[The_Duality]

Bloody hell... someone has a gripe with Eset! The thing is, I have never seen anyone else complain about the things the author complains about... To me, absolute twaddle... but I think that his review may hurt Eset's sales in the UK.

With its middling antivirus performance and unprofessional user interface

If he calls the current interface unprofessional , I don't know how professional some interfaces look when they only say "Secured" or "You are protected" , giving the user false sense of security and almost nothing can be changed/configured to opt everyone's different necessities

[The_Duality]

Originally Posted by HiTech_boy

If he calls the current interface unprofessional , I don't know how professional some interfaces look when they only say "Secured" or "You are protected" , giving the user false sense of security and almost nothing can be changed/configured to opt everyone's different necessities

I have to agree with you there... I fail to see the point of things like that in the interface, and if anything it can make the product appear slightly "garish" and over-confident. I like the way NOD tells me exactly what i need to know, when i need to know it

[rothko]

even though this is only a magazine review, PC Pro is probably the most read PC magazine in the UK, at least by IT professionals....or at least that's my guess....so even if the actual testing may not have been up to much, it certainly is a shame that NOD32 will be dismissed as a non-starter by people who havent heard of it before.

also a shame that this review comes just short of the release of version 3, which surely would have kept them happy as far as GUI goes.

[pykko]

Originally Posted by Marcos

Hm, maybe someone else doesn't like the look of NOD32 v2. As for detection, there should be no complaints because the results are constantly getting better and better.

I suggest you to take a second look at av-comparatives.org and av-test.org test results. The heuristics are indeed strong and stronger in each test but the overall results are worse.

[RejZoR]

Originally Posted by Marcos

Hm, maybe someone else doesn't like the look of NOD32 v2. As for detection, there should be no complaints because the results are constantly getting better and better.

Honestly i don't know what have people so much against v2 interface.
Personally it's far better visually and to navigate than the new one from Smart Security Suite which has again huge buttons and status info and terribly cluttered settings. Thats why i like avast!'s, NOD32 and KAV6 settings. You first select an AV module (main on-access scanner, email scanner, HTTP scanner) and then select it's options. Thats much better than all the stuff cluttered under one settings menu. I'm an expert when it comes to such stuff, yet i still don't like it. Also detection windows in v2 is very cool with those animated squares moving and stuff.

[Londonbeat]

Originally Posted by RejZoR

Honestly i don't know what have people so much against v2 interface.
Personally it's far better visually and to navigate than the new one from Smart Security Suite which has again huge buttons and status info and terribly cluttered settings.

Agreed. I much prefer the current v2 interface over ESS interface.

[GES/POR]

Nod's interface and settings are the best, detection is not as great as fanboys make it seem and you guys should definetly mail that guy.

How can such a nub write reviews for a it magazine

[steve1955]

Why let this "review"(I use the term review lightly in regard to this one!)bother you?does it make you feel unprotected or less protected having read it or do you feel the review is a waste of space?:-if its the latter just ignore it!
Don't even consider emailing the reviewer,it will make him feel as if people are taking notice of the crap he writes!

[nonmirecordo]

I've just remembered that one of the very knowledgeable columnists on PC Pro, Davey Winder, who uses the strap line 'IT Security Journalist of the Year', mentioned a few issues back that he uses NOD32!

Still, what does he know?

[Cpt. Sparrow]

Well, the review shows just the kind of malware and av knowledge you would expect from somebody who acquired his Ph.D. by contextualising Victorian literature: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darien_Graham-Smith

[nonmirecordo]

Dear me! And a thespian to boot.

Pun not intended.

[Blackcat]

Originally Posted by The_Duality

but I think that his review may hurt Eset's sales in the UK.

Originally Posted by rothko

even though this is only a magazine review, PC Pro is probably the most read PC magazine in the UK, at least by IT professionals.

I doubt whether sales will be affected here by this one article and IT professionals tend to take these reviews with a pinch of salt (and most of the ones I know do not use any AV!).

On the PC magazine front in the UK, Eset has adverts in most of the main ones, particularly the Gaming magazines and I have seen it now in a number of public libraries in the UK, even here in the backwoods of Dorset. So my guess is that Eset have significantly improved sales here in the UK of late and this one article is not going to affect that.

[Abeltje]

The article is right about some things.

The labels for the different modules are anything but intuitive. Even for advanced users it is not obvious what they mean without looking it up somewhere. Although a simple change in name could bring clarity into the matter this hasn't been done in all those years. If you want to be more than just a product for geeks you should adress this issue (like in current ESS beta).

I don't know how they tested detection in this magazine, but latest AV-comparatives and AV-test revealed that Nod is not on top currently. So I think this is a valid point, too. (Which doesn't mean it is generally a bad product).

[Inspector Clouseau]

Just have a look at the guy here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darien_Graham-Smith

He has NO creditability in security software testing. NONE. How can you put someone like this guy on a position to write security software reviews? That's ridiculous.

[nameless]

Oh, how I love the way NOD32 fans launch into ad-hominem attack mode whenever someone has the unmitigated gall to criticize NOD32, while giving tacit or direct approval to any positive review!

The people who contradicted Graham-Smith's opinions by addressing them (rather than by going after Graham-Smith himself) have my respect, even though I tend to disagree with them.