What do you look for in privacy/security software

[JayK]

Here's what I look for...

Not in order of merit

1) Upon installation lists changes made to the system, so it's easy to uninstall. Eg Changes to your right click context menu, put themselves in your quicklaunch bar etc..

It's best if it runs without installation, those I usually try.

2) Asks permission to autostart instead of assuming it. Either that or makes it easy to stop program from autostarting. I hate hunting for the option or even worse it's not possible and you have to do it manually.

3)Easily toggable (for some software). Allows you to easily to temporary disenable and enable with one click. Normally they also have some way of signalling if the application is functioning or not .This allows you check quickly if a newly installed program is causing problems such as stopping access to a webpage

4)Ability to run transparently. It kind of gets irriating to see your taskbar and sytem stray full of programs. You would do this once you are sure this application is pretty stable on your setup. So you don't need to do 3).

5) Free if possible

6) Configurable. - Only for power user freaks. It's the difference between Proxomitron and Webwasher for example.But if you need to change the configuration by altering text files using notepad, no thanks...

7) No ads or adware of course. If it uses Ads state so up front.

Resource light ..

[sk]

I personally look for blonde, naked spokesmodel types to accompany the software. But I'm often disappointed.

[JayK]

I personally look for blonde, naked spokesmodel types to accompany the software. But I'm often disappointed

Try this http://www.gladiator-secure.de
I hear one of the "assistants" will be going to be a sexy blond .



Removed URL tags

[Acadia]

What do I look for? GOOD TECH SUPPORT! (That's why I'm about two inches away from uninstalling Tauscan).

[the Tester]

Acadia brought up the most important issue I consider when looking for a security or privacy program.It is the most important feature of any program.If I hear or see in a forum that a program has excellent support,that weighs heavily in my decision.Every program that I currently use has good to excellent support from the developer,support team,or knowledgable users.In the past I have purchased and later "dumped" programs that were lacking in that area.I think another factor is stability.A program has to be xp compatable and compatable with whatever other programs I use.

[luv2bsecure]

That the product actually does what it claims to do.

John
Luv2BSecure

[Mike_Healan]

Something that stays up-to-date and takes care to fix any glitches that may harm a user's machine.

Every product for me has differing criteria based on what it is...

For AV's.. The #1 thing is ... Virus Bulletin! I get very nervous thinking of using something that passed 3 times and failed 14...

For Firewalls, I go for a combination of complete features, and ease of use. I went through PC Flank and made my decision based on what info I had.. Also, sometimes support is good to have, but it doesn't necessarily mean that great support means a great product.. I use ZAPRO, and I read the manual, and most of my questions were solved by just that.. If I need help, I ask it here in wilders, and "eyespy" or someone else from team z will help me...

For Spyware, well, I could not get rid of Gator on my nephew's computer until I installed Spybot S&D! Ad aware did not work...

I also look at other people's opinion, people who know what they are talking about.. I read the technical stuff.. Some of it is fluff, and some is good! So I picked TDS and I am happy for Trojan detection...

I use System Cleaner and Evidence Washer, they did the best job I could find. Also, they wipe the deleted files...(You know what I mean)

and finally, sometimes I may just go on the direct opinions of others. Like I did when I dwonloaded Mailwasher...

But, I guess, I look for the best performance and most coverage.

[sk]

On a more serious note, I agree with John - I really respect a program (or person, for that matter) that says what it does and does what it says! There is nothing in this world I hate more than getting a product, be it freeware or retail, that promises the world...UNTIL YOU OPEN THE BOX! (Or help file.) Only THEN does it bother to tell you everything it doesn't do.

To this day I still remember the first software program I ever bought - WinFax Pro. It was for Win 3.11, so that gives you some idea how long ago that was. And not that it particularly mattered, but on the front of the box was a big promotion for a hot screensaver that they tossed in as a bonus. Frankly, I could have cared less about the screensaver, if it hadn't been for the fact that no sooner had I opened the box and begun to read the warnings, that I came across this: "WARNING. WinFax Pro is NOT compatible with xyz Screensaver. It is known to cause conflicts and we advise against the use of that screensaver with WinFax Pro." Needless to say, it was the exact same screensaver that was featured on the front of the box! I was like: "Welcome to the insane world of computers!"

And I'm sure we could all fill a book or two with these kinds of experiences, not to mention the endless frustrating agony with the software manufacturers blaming the hardware manufacturers, and everybody blaming the drivers. So when I do come across a program that honestly says what it does - and sometimes more importantly what it doesn't do - and then actually follows through on its claims, that is a product that I know I will support. The rest ... well, I won't even go there.

It's a bit O/T as far as the actual product category goes, but one of the only software products that I've seen that really lays it on the line is a little audio shareware program called Volume Balancer. It's developer is an audio enthusiast from England, and rather than say his product will win you the Audio Engineer of the Year award, he says that if you think the product - or ANY product - will enable you to put a Mozart lullaby on the same CD as Led Zeppelin and have the final result come out balanced, THINK AGAIN. Because it doesn't exist. Because the principles of sound and perception of sound volume don't allow it. NO PRODUCT can change the laws of physics. But an awful lot try very hard to convince you that they can.

I don't think I was ever happier to pay the $15 he charged for his program. In essence, I bought the program as much for the developer's integrity as I did for the program itself, although the program is every bit as solid as the developer. Those types of programs are indeed hard to find, IMHO. And the developer of that program is also one of the few who sends me updates as soon as they're available. WIth most of the 'major' companies, all I get from them is spam. I invariably have to go to their sites myself to ever find the FREE updates; the ones that allow their programs to not crash systems, etc. That really diminishes the whole computing experience for me; whereas the opposite is true: To come across well-conceived, well-written, well-supported programs is a true delight. So that's what I really look for in any program, security or otherwise.

sk

[Uguel707]

Hi!

These are some of the features I would expect from a good security software:

1. Suport on line. (right Acadia!)

2. Ability to detect and remove viruses in the widest range of archived and compressed file types.

3. Efficient resource consumption. Doesn't slow down your machine too much. Still, I would rather have it slow than fast with a lesser protection.

4. A diverse list of setting options: so you can custom. them as you like it.

5. Works with my OS

6. Updates: the sooner the better

7. (Maybe I'm dreaming?) A component that can detect if a file is being deleted by a different source than myself.So there must be a way to engineer that

8. A reasonable price product.

9. No hidden components, no nagging

10. Easy to desinstall, no extra keys left in the register

I think this is all for now. All in all : WYSIWYG product

Good evening! Uguel707
[img]http://groups.msn.com/_Secure/0QgDdAuwTe5hfdXt0gDtM5*yMaj4VkGiEnHHH7ibQqdbGGy0FJ!XiNOdUMPSPbTVBDj8u49ygXIABdfSfZo2R2MBmDdNnJ4uFnjcClM1uOtg/hom9.gif?dc=4675397853889862546[/img]

[Acadia]

Hey, Uguel. I love your walking, ah, whatever the heck it is.

[Uguel707]

Hey, Uguel. I love your walking, ah, whatever the heck it is.

Hi Acadia !

It's the happy-go-lucky style. As you can see clearly, this guy has nothing to loose...

See ya! Uguel

[TheApostate]

quoting: sk link=board=20;threadid=5900;start=0#39317 date=1041636796]
It was for Win 3.11,

Sheesh, that goes back a ways. I sometimes long for the day.s of dos and win 3.1, in my case. Things were som much simpler then, till of course you tried to install drivers, and had to hack your autoexec.bat file to get the path bit to under 200+ charecters etc etc.

Seriously though, I like to have a proggy that's easy to install, installs where I tell it to, doesn't dump a whole load of crap onto my system that I didn't ask it to, let alone now about till after the installation is over. It must work as it says it does and be easily uninstallable, removing everyhing it installed, even registry entries. Free works for me too, mostly cos I have a very limited budget and cannot afford most software. Lite on resources as some others have said, some proggies are resource demons, don't like that. All I can think of right now.

TheApostate