Free firewall shortage.

Money from whom? Geeks won't use your stuff or block the ads, average Joe won't bother with a firewall unless it comes with Windows as crapware. I wonder if 1 in 5 internet users have knowledge of what a firewall is.

 

There are always exceptions to what you assume, your generalization proves nothing in the end. Already, you assume the free firewall in question is crapware that geeks won't use and average users won't bother with. How can you prove that is the case to the extent of "no market available"? Then what's you're opinion on a free firewall good enough for geeks to use and popular enough for normal people to consider? Lastly, all your negative criticisms apply to paid firewalls as well (they have even a tougher time entering the market due to monetary requirement), so why do you prefer them?

 

Ok, in the first post the author mentioned a few firewalls. What's the market share of those firewalls combined?

 

Yes, I think this is more the point. A "personal (software) firewall" provides certain features, such as closing ports, and as long as they work cannot really be improved on. Hacking (inbound) through the firewall of a PC is no longer a primary attack vector. These days malware attacks through the browser, email and applications vulnerabilities, and that's why current security suites focus on protecting those vectors. Some people object to legitimate programs connecting "out" to send usage data to vendors or check for updates, but I see that as more of a privacy concern than a security concern. There's also the fact that most 3rd party firewalls require user interaction to be effective and most people cannot and do not want to do it.

 

currently very buggy, sometimes it will simple implode in your pc and loses configuration/not do what you want.

 

That's interesting. I've had 0 issues with TinyWall on the systems I've used it on. However, if it imploded a PC just once to me, I would share your negative opinion of it.

 

Never had that happen to me, on numerous Win7/8 PC's, both physical and virtual?
Ouch!

 

There was a time that the desktop firewall was *THE* thing that you needed to protect your system and there was a lot of innovation going on so that each had their different advantages. These days people know that a firewall of some sort is necessary, but the focus is on detection and firewalls are mature enough that one is as good as the next (at least as far as the user is concerned) and everyone already has one -- whether it's the router, Windows firewall, or in their IS suite. So these days the main userbase for dedicated firewalls are enthusiasts, like the people here, which are only a small fraction of the market -- and look at how many here advocate nothing more than a router!

I do still think that there is some untapped potential in creating firewalls with features specially for people that use laptops on the go (wireless IPS and such), so maybe we'll see a resurgence at some point.

 

A Vote for private Firewall

YES, IT'S FREE

 

No shortage here.

I use Private Firewall.

Try it!

 

FortKnox PF, a new release yesterday., nevermind, not free.

 

only tested private firewall, which was garbage (constantly leaked outbound traffic I had blocked) and zone alarm free version (pretty good, but it has become too bloated over the years) and it doesn't offer ip blocking features in the free version.

if you know what you're doing, Windows firewall is a very good and powerful firewall. It can be a pain to set up, but in the long run it's worth it (the policies be easily be backed up and transfered to other machines).

 

Privatefirewall 7 working just fine here!

 

Win FW is good enough. The free third party firewalls already available are more than enough options for people more than Win FW.

 

The best information rich Firewall with stiff security to boot for me was Online Armor. Trouble is it's not free. Oh i think they have a free version but i can't attest to that one's satisfactory results or not.

Too bad Kerio source code couldn't went open source when it folded. It used to be a good.one for years.

 

I am lovin' Windows Firewall Control frontend for Windows Firewall.
Although not Free for a tiny donation of the cost of a pint of beer and a sandwich not bad value at all

 

old london town must getting worse then if a pint and a sandwich are a tenner...

 

10 dollars=£6.68.
It's one small sandwich though

 

Never mind the sandwich...you can get 6 litres of cider for that ( and still have change) in my neck of the woods

 

I agree. Days of hobbiest hacking are over. Today almost all hacking is profit driven. Much more efficient to just have the target "let you in."

 

Or a dozen of cold beers.

 

Use to be, now it is fine (TinyWall 2.1.4).