Where to Buy Boxed NOD32?

A few months ago I called the folks at Eset in Coronado, California and asked where I could buy a packaged box of their software.   Unfortunately, I received a rather too-quick answer stating that I could only buy their software on-line.   I didn't ask for a discount (in fact, I'm willing to pay a premium) and I am willing to drive to their offices.   No dice.

I realize that the rest of the world may be comfortable transacting business on-line, but I prefer not to do so.   As a personal choice I prefer not to pay for software for which I do not receive a disk and a paper manual.   I respect the choices of others, of course.

Is anyone aware of any retailer(s) who carry NOD32 boxed.   I'd rather buy from a real actual person.

Thanks in advance,
;~* ... Scotterpops

PS -- Incidentally, I am unable to post or PM the moderators of this forum using Mozilla in Linux (either Slackware or Mandrake) or in Win2K or WinXP.   I use that browser to post at many other forums, to retrieve my web-based e-mail and to access several sites that require registration, so it does not appear to be a problem with the browser. I see that the problem has been previously reported.

 

Hi Scotterpops. I hope one of the Eset people can help you with the boxed version.
I wondering about the Mozilla problem though. I have used Mozilla and Phoenix here on Win 2k with no problem.
I used Mozilla 1.2 and Phoenix .03. I also know a few of our members here are using Mozilla or Phoenix. I'm back to Opera right now because of strange happenings with both of them, but I have hope.
I only have Phoenix installed now, but I seem to remember in Mozilla there was an option to allow referrers to work. If there is, do you have that enabled?
Also, have you tried changing your settings for JS and cookies, etc.
I'm all set up for this board, and don't remember what might cause problems like that, but I do have problems at other sites and have to allow referrers, or JS, or cookies.

 

Mozilla's settings in all instances are set to accommodate trusted sites. As mentioned above, I use this browser (extensively) to visits sites which require registration for any reason. I have never experienced any such problems elsewhere on the web.

If you search the forum with the keywords "Mozilla" and "Guest" you'll see that a couple of people (Mikmouse, Scotcov) have reported the same problem.

Please note that this is *not* a complaint about this forum, though it is a little frustrating. Rather, that post script was just to let the moderators know that there is a problem.

 

> Is anyone aware of any retailer(s) who carry NOD32 boxed. I'd rather buy from a real actual person.

The antivirus program you buy "off the shelf" is always out of date before it goes on display. How far out of date depends on the program's popularity and the store's turnover ... but "several months" is not uncommon.

In Australia, NOD32 is available at distributor level only by electronic download, but most good computer stores will burn the program to CD if that's what the customer wants ... in fact, some of our resellers routinely do this. Your local computer store would probably do the same for you ... but bear in mind that even if you took home "today's" version on CD, the program would be out of date within a few days.

The NOD32 license includes antivirus updates and program upgrades for the life of the license. You can download the latest version at any time from our websites ... far beter (imo) than re-installing from a nine-month-old CD if you upgrade your operating system or hard drive.

 

The yabbse board has issues with mozilla based browsers. We have manually fixed some problems. The yabbse team is aware of the problem and is working on it over at www.yabb.info If you can verify that the same problems occur at other yabbse boards, or not, that would be of benefit to us. I suspect they will.

On linux (mandrake and debian) I use Opera, Galeon or Konqueror, and skip netscape and mozilla for yabbse boards.

 

OK, I'll take that risk. I don't see why I can't install the base product and then update to the latest definitions and program version immediately on-line from Eset's web site, but I'll be the first to admit I may be missing some piece of the puzzle.

No matter, I'll still take that risk.

In return, I want to buy the product from a person, someone I can look in the eye, preferably here in my community (at least partially because I want my purchase to support employment within my community). If I have a problem with your product--I don't expect to, but you never know--I want that person to help me to resolve it. I'll pay full-pop retail and, if you continue to produce a quality product, I'll keep buying subsequent versions from that retailer right here in my community--I'll be a good, loyal customer and I'll promote your product when the opportunity presents itself.

Deal?

 

Hello, if I may...

For years I believed that if it wasn't in a box, it shouldn't be bought... Most times, when you go to a retailer (U.S.A.) you wind up in a situation where you have the products that have negotiated deals with the company selling the stuff, not that the stuff is good or bad. Besides, what are you going to find in the stores? If you want the printed material, print it off web.. I did! I used to use boxed software, until 2 years ago. You should not limit yourself to that, my friend. I got sick of the antivirus in the bright yellow box, went to the other one in the bright yellow box, (which was even worse!) and then I finally did my homework. I downloaded various anti viral trials, then I copied my important files to a cd/rw. I tried the downloads, while also keeping an eye on sites like this one here (Wilders), and Virus Bulletin. Of course, I also saw CNET's famous "fruitcake" review. That one actually strengthened my resolve.. I then decided on NOD32.. Sooooo... I reformatted my HD, reinstalled my programs, and info files and bought NOD32. Now, I saved my Username and Password, both on a notepad file which sits in "My Documents", and also I printed it out on paper. WOW! I can download the newest version anytime I want! Why would I even want to burn a cd when all I have to do is go to Nod32's site, download the exe file, execute, and punch in the passwords and I am ALL SET!!!!! If I have a crash, and my clone doesn't work, a visit to www.nod32.com solves all..

Honestly, though, I only have 4 programs on my computer I bought that have cd. Most of the manuals for these programs are useless or redundant.. My way, I can always try it out first.. I use total uninstall, to clean an uninstall, but at least, even if I have to spend 40 minutes to install my clone, or reformat, at least I'm not out of $40++++ for nothing...Among the absolute BEST I have as downloads are as follows, in order of importance...
1. NOD32 (Very good manuals can be downloaded and printed!!!)
2. Agnitum Outpost Firewall Pro
3. Tauscan
4. Ad-Aware (Free)
5. RefUpdate (for Ad-Aware)
6. System Cleaner
7. Evidence Washer
8. Registry First Aid. , and so on and so forth and so on...

Only 4 from a box. They are MS Streets and Trips, and the Palm Desktop program (even that I got an updated copy from the internet..
A Phone Directory on CD, and Picture it!

 

Two things:

1) People. People who live in my community and will help me if and when needed.

2) Service. Service from someone whose name I know, who has a stake in my community.

No people, no service, no sale. I'll do without.

I respect your choices Straight Shooter, and I thank you for your opinion, but whether you agree with or respect my position or not will not change my position.

The question I posted was where can I buy the product. Do you know where I can buy NOD32 directly from a person?

I live in southern California. I'll drive to Eset's offices in Coronado if need be and I'll gladly pay full retail ... IF I can purchase the product from someone whose going to be there next week, six months from now and down the road to service that sale.

Otherwise, no sale.

 

>> The antivirus program you buy "off the shelf" is always out of date before it goes on display. How far out of date depends on the program's popularity and the store's turnover ... but "several months" is not uncommon.

> OK, I'll take that risk. I don't see why I can't install the base product and then update to the latest definitions and program version immediately on-line from Eset's web site, but I'll be the first to admit I may be missing some piece of the puzzle. No matter, I'll still take that risk.

There's very little risk associated with Internet downloads these days provided you go to an authorized distribution site for name brands, or a reputable download site for shareware.

Warez sites are another story altogether ... some of them are great places to contract a dose of the latest computer nasties.

> In return, I want to buy the product from a person, someone I can look in the eye, preferably here in my community (at least partially because I want my purchase to support employment within my community).

Good thinking! I'm a committed "buy local whenever possible" man myself ... for the same reasons.

> If I have a problem with your product--I don't expect to, but you never know--I want that person to help me to resolve it.

Yep ... you (usually) get better service from the local guy than you can expect from huge nationwide discount chains ... and often for the same dollars.

We don't discount NOD32 at all, btw. Setting your retail price at $59 then flogging your product through discounters 24/7 at $24.95 always smells like Snake Oil to me ... kinda like those Indian carpet stores which advertise "Once in a lifetime" sales on TV every weekend.

Any decent computer or software dealer in the world should be able to order a NOD32 license for you. If he can't, you're shopping in the wrong store!

> I'll pay full-pop retail and, if you continue to produce a quality product, I'll keep buying subsequent versions from that retailer right here in my community--I'll be a good, loyal customer and I'll promote your product when the opportunity presents itself.

> Deal?

My kind of customer!

You won't be unhappy with NOD32. I've been in the antivirus industry since 1988, distributing three programs over the years which in their time were all widely regarded as #1 in the world ... and when I say NOD32 has proved itself to be the best of those three, it's not "Salesman's BS".

 

> I live in southern California. I'll drive to Eset's offices in Coronado if need be and I'll gladly pay full retail ... IF I can purchase the product from someone whose going to be there next week, six months from now and down the road to service that sale.

Why not just ask your local computer guy to order NOD32 for you ?

 

Hi StraightShooter!

I recognize your name from reading a couple of posts in CNet.

I'm like you ... various MS operating systems, MS Office, and Dreamweaver UltraDev are the only software titles I've bought on hard copy in the past few years. Just about everything else I use came off the Internet.

We're living in an electronic world, but some programs have become way too big for dialups. I don't fancy sitting here watching moss grow over my screen while I wait for downloads to complete.

 

Hey, Straight shooter, not all of us have CDrewrite and we want our software on CD. Plus, why should I have to go to the trouble of printing out a manual ...using expensive ink and getting a bunch of loose pages when if I buy a boxed version of a product, I get a nice, neat manual for the very same price as what I get when I download the product...basically I get hot air when I download. I want something SOLID that I can hold in my hand and that I OWN...not something ephemeral. Psychologically it is simply not the same.

I recently switched to NOD32 from NAV and I am very impressed except for the fact that it is hard to get NOD32 on disk. That is a drawback...a significant one IMO. I have cable modem at 2ms down so it is no big thing for me to go get updated after I reinstall from disk. Before I got NOD32, I reinstalled NAV2001 from disk and it took very little time to update from that far back. I believe users should have a choice and if they prefer disk they should be easily able to get it. Gene Gold of PRM is offering VBlocker/NOD32 in the U.S. and while the web site says download, I know he has it on disk because Shell credit card is offering it to their users on disk for $4.95 for six months.

 

It cost money to produce hard copies of a program, Eset has choosen nod32 to be "download only" to keep the price down. It is unfortunate for those that would prefer a hard copy and don't own a cd-burner true, but for the majority who don't, they don't want to pay more.

Those AVs I see in stores with pretty boxes and manuals are more expensive than nod32, and I don't like to pay an extra 20 bucks for a box and a manual I could downlaod anytime. Those AV companies are counting on you wanting a box.

I can understand why a person would prefer a hard copy, there is nothing wrong with that, but on the other hand, I wouldn't want that to increase the price I had to pay. (and cd burning/boxing does cost a few pennies no matter how few you produce)

I suppose if a person absolutely had to have a pretty box and manual from a store there are plenty to choose from.

 

I covered this in my other general NOD-32 post.
In my dad's day and as a child, I remember my dad bringing home a TV
to use for the weekend. I remember him bringing home a car to try out for the weekend. I am sure that is why we have trial-wear today.
From the values and memories of our parents and their generation.
We need to face the fact that the majority of the world still wants to hand their dollar to a real person to but something and not give out their credit card info over the net. They want to be able to go back to that person if problems arise. They do not want to make a long distant call , they have to pay for. They do not want to write an e-mail and maybe and I mean maybe get a answer to their problem.
Even if they get an answer, they will not have any clue what it means in most instances. As some have mentioned. Not all consumers have CD-Writers. If a problem occurs, they bring their machine to a service center. The mr or misses fix-it person then asks them for their software to reinstall. The common consumer is not like most of us that frequent this site and many like it.
I learned many years ago, while doing my other profession, if you are going to fix a water leak on your roof, you need to think like water.
How and at what angle does water hit your house mostly? after it does, where does it flow? Once it enters your house, where does it go? Where does gravity take it?
Sometimes we need to humble ourselves.

 

I am not concerned about the risk in this situation, but thank you for the tip.

Glad to hear about this policy. Please don't change.

I had no idea I could do this. When I didn't see it on the shelf I just assumed it wasn't available. I'll be stopping by my favorite local mom-n'-pop geek store here next week and pony up. Thanks for the suggestion. That's exactly what I was looking for.

I know, that's why I came here and posted. I tried your trial version and NOD32 is what I want to use. No need for salesmanship when the product sells itself.

Thanks again,
;~* ... Scotterpops

 

At the risk of beating a dead horse, I just want to thank you for your post, Controler. Although I have bought my av, and a couple of other things, over the internet, I FULLY understand Scotterpops. Not so long ago, every transaction we made was in person. No ATMs, no drive-through, etc. It is very hard for some of us, myself included, to see this change. Things are much more convenient this new way, but it is still hard to see the loss of the "people" element, as Scotterpops said.
Thank you for listening.
Scotcov

 

First of all, Rodzilla, it's good to meet you. From the many posts In read I see you're a NOD32 Guru! I am honored!

Secondly, wheras I can understand the position about buying a product in a store with human support, my experience in that department has been very sour.. My former computer was a Dell Inspirion 5000 laptop. (I'm talking February 2002, owning it for a year and a half) and I had a couple of problems in terms of boot up, and being able to keep the machine working. I don't want to take up much time in writing this all out, so anyway, I took it to 3 different repair shops. "Repputable", long standing computer repair shops. They basically told me to throw the machine away and buy another one. Then I gave it to a friend of my co-workers, and sold it to him (a dishonest, shady character) for $200. He fixed it in 20 minutes! I got screwed! He fixed it by uninstalling Norton AV (Boxed product), and cleaning out the viruses I had! My heart sunk.. ALL IT WAS WERE A COUPLE OF VIRUSES! So much for local repair shops with bozo's who either did not know or didn't want to bother. Now, where I live, Staples and Best Buy' are the two places to buy software. Those repair tech shops didn't really focus on software. At Staples, it depends who you ask. I was learning fast. The most experienced sales person (he no longer works there) told me to run away from Norton-McAfee and check out something called NOD32. The others who worked there were just kids, they didn't know anything.... Best Buy is even worse, but one guy I spoke to over there gave me a shrug when I asked him about Norton. So, now I buy another computer, a Compaq. Installed Norton AV That came with the purchase. It did not catch KLEZ. (I thought the attachment was from a co worker)... Norton was updated, by the way. Then I reformatted the NEW Computer. Bought McAfee. THat was worst than a virus! I started reading forums... Nod32 was beginning to stand out. I even called the company. Meanwhile other people in my office started having problems with viruses in their computer. I was in danger of virual attacks at least 2 times weekly... They were going through the office firewalled network, and of course, at my home dsl connection. My nightmare finally ended when I bought NOD32. Meanwhile I am learning more and more. Norton's Firewall falied miserably in PC FLANK's Tests. Can't Symantec, with all it customer base, do anything right? I bought Outpost Firewall Pro. Never regretted it. I understand that some people would prefer to have the fancy printed manual. In my case, it was better to print 80 plus pages of the NOD 32 manual and POP3 scanner for, oh, let say, $10 bucks ink and paper, and then take it to Staples and spend another 2 bucks to bind it, than to trust my machine to Norton, all for the sake of a fancy printed manual I only read maybe 4 times total... Add $39 and $10 and $2. Now you have $51 invested in AV. I also downloaded Jason Levine's Script Sentry.. That was a free download... It is a beautifully written program. Where there is a will there is a way. My suggestion is to find a friend with a CD burner if you want to save NOD32 on CD. After I lost a $3000 computer to undetected viruses, combined with repair shops worth squat, and a crook... and then buying another $1800 computer to replace it, I think I can spend $12 for paper, ink and binding, to get an AV that WoRKS!!!! I am only trying to give the other side of the coin, here. So, Now, if I add Outpost then I have to say the total cost is about the same for two programs that work and I am proud of the fact that I am not supporting a bloated, inneficient product that has to give there product away to gain a foothold in market share. I also helped another associate of mine a couple of weeks ago, and he bought NOD32. As a matter of fact, I am now trying to get my whole office to hear about NOD and buy it. No financial gain for me, it's just my way to help my co workers..

BTW Rodzilla, I own MS OFFICE on CD too, I forgot. That is the only other produuct in CD that I use (I have to...and it's okay, anyway...)

Thanks
Shooter...

 

Interesting. I myself refuse to buy stuff in boxes. I want a free full-featured trial. Often uninstall same day, easy to recognize junk. For registering I wait a little longer, often trouble won't show up immediately. If it does, then I get a chance to check out the support.

In the past I've bought boxed stuff from Fry's (hardly local, giant chains is all we have here in Silicon valley). Almost always been disappointed and felt I wasted money.

Only CD I've installed from all year was Win XP.

I used to miss paper manuals, but online ones are far easier to search, and you can print the page you want, don't have to print the whole thing.

 

First off.... Compaq sucks !!!!!!!!!!!! I know this for a fact. Who else would have used the first 8 meg of your hard drive to hold the BIOS info at one time.
Second off Norton Did catch Klez with current diffinitions. I know this for a fact.
I don't know hwwere you got all your information but it was wrong. Second the dude that fixed your Dell by uninstalling Norton AV was not telling you the whole truth. The only way uninstalling Norton AV would have helped anything is if you or somebody else had tried to do a registry repair of some sort. In that case you would have had bootup problems since Norton AV looks at the boot record.
In no way am I saying NOD-32 is a bad product or bashing it. I think NOD-32 is an awesome product
best buy for your money is an HP. Why? well if you don't want to do a restore with all the extra crap software , they do send the OS disk also so you can doa fresh clean install.
Here is one more bit of good info. Keep a good copy of your current BIOS flash on hand so when you FDISK and reformat, your can reflash your BIOS also.
Sure don't hurt anything. One thing though. Be SURE you or your friends know what you are doing when you flash that BIOS.

 

said by cn m
> Interesting. I myself refuse to buy stuff in boxes. I want a free full-featured trial.

Well, gee, I want that too! I always do a free trial of software and then if the software is available on disk, I go down to Wal-Mart or Office Max and buy it. If they don't have it, I order it by mail either from the company (on the phone) or from a reseller. I have the best of both worlds that way. If a major software product (such as antivirus, firewall, ad control, graphics software, etc.) is not available on disk then I am suspicious of it. Usually the reason it is NOT on disk is because (1) it is too new or (2) it is inferior or (3) it is from a small company. Look at Zone Alarm ...it it now on disk ....ditto for Ad/Subtract just to name two examples. I have used both since their inception and they have just recently become big enough to come out on disk.

I use minor software (shareware and freeware) that I have downloaded and that will maybe never be on disk because it will never be popular enough. But minor software is no biggie. Antivirus is the most important piece of software you own except for your OS and it should always be available on disk as should your firewall.

>I used to miss paper manuals, but online ones are far easier to search, and you can print the page you want, don't have to print the whole thing

I beg to differ. Online ones are one big hassle to search especially when they are in PDF. I have to change the format. I hate Acrobat Reader. Very difficult to use. Takes forever to get to the page you want. When it is a paper manual, you find what you want almost instantly. I also hate printing things out. I seldom use my printer. Again, all this is usually because a company is not yet large enough to provide their product in the proper manner. Eventually, Eset will grow enough to do this I would assume.

I know lots of people who will not consider NOD32 or several other excellent antivirus products because they are not on disk. As for my having someone with a CD burner burn this for me, everyone I know has W98SE and no CD burner and none of us plan to get CD burners for our older computers nor do we plan to buy a new computer anytime soon. I don't want a Dell that is going to have only a restore disk! So I will hang on to this Dell computer which came with a ton of disks ...full ones ...for as long as I can.

 

Said by Rodzilla:
>We don't discount NOD32 at all, btw. Setting your retail price at $59 then flogging your product through discounters 24/7 at $24.95 always smells like Snake Oil to me .

Perhaps, you have information by now on what Gene Gold is doing and what NOD32 intends for the US? Is NOD32 to be marketed here primarily under the name VBlocker?

NOD32 is discounted (although not yet quite like the two major anti virus players) in the U.S.A. Shell credit card is offering NOD32 for $4.97 ON DISK for 3 months from PRM. After that, a subscription charge applies, but at a discounted price, I don't know the exact amount. Plus, PRM has something else wonderful. They are offering toll free, free of charge, phone support for NOD32!! Wow! Now, why would anyone buy NOD32 in the U.S. as download (from NOD32 site) when they can get it ON DISK either from Shell, if they have their gas card, or Chase Manhattan Bank told me they thought that it will be offered soon to Shell Mastercard holders (on disk) for the same discounted price, or from PRM directly at the regular price and all of these options get you free phone support. (I have no idea regarding the quality of the phone support as this is a new feature).

The PRM site indicates more discounting is coming from various sources. This is supposedly because Eset intends an advertising blitz in the US, in the near future, in an attempt to become a major player here. My advice, to anyone who asks my opinion, will be that if they don't have any type of Shell card that they should wait a while as more discounting will be happening in the U.S. The Shell offer is just the first of many.

 

I doubt being on disk has made ZA any better

 

Said by Unicron:
>I doubt being on disk has made ZA any better

SO? What is your point? I want my major software on disk. I don't think that is unreasonable. What does this have to do with whether or not ZA is better or not because it is on disk? That is irrelevant. It is should be the same quality whether on disk or by d/l. It is the CONVENIENCE of it being on disk that matters to me. I currently have cable modem, but if I ever move and have dial up again there is no way I would ever buy any major software as download. It is enough of a nightmare, if you have dial up at 28kbps, and have to wipe the computer totally and start from scratch, to have to d/l at that pitiful speed all your smaller applications. If you have to do this with something as important as antivirus, etc. you will go crazy before you can get everything downloaded.

Plus, you will have to start over many times because if you get disconnected...which happened to me during almost any long download, then if you start up where you left off, most likely your d/l will prove to have corrupt or missing files and you have to do it all over again. I have had to download IE 5 to 6 times to get a good d/l when on dial up. What a mess if your antivirus download is corrupt. Many times, it APPEARS the download is ok. It is only later, as you use the product that you find a problem which, after much hassle, you find is due to corrupt download/missing files. You avoid the majority of these problems if you have your major software on disk. I ordered IE on disk, each upgrade, after that nightmare I had!

Even if I had a CD burner, why should my time and effort be put to burning it when I should be able to buy it already on disk? I'm not getting a discounted price if I buy it by d/l so by having the application only by d/l, the company makes me do a lot of the work! Plus, having it on disk, tells me the company is playing with the big guys now and that generally means better support and a product good enough to make the major leagues. It also indicates that the company understands the U.S. market and that too is important.

 

Couple of answers and comments...

To "Controller"; Oh, I definately agree that Compaq Stinks! My next laptop in the next couple of years will either be Gateway or Dell. It was just that I did not have too much money or time, I had to buy another laptop to continue my business, in a hurry..

The guy I sold my Dell to NEVER saw my Compaq.. I did bring it to 3 repair shops before I sold it to him! The were telling me they could not figure out what the problem was. They never uninstalled Norton. I called the guy I sold my computter to after a week, just to see if he fixed it. He told me over the phone i had viruses on my hd. I told him I had Norton, why didn't Norton detect them? He basically answered that Norton's doesn't detect viruses all the time. I was confused BECAUSE MY DEFINITIONS WERE UPDATED> Then, when I got my Compaq, I openned up and attachment with Norton 2002 turned on, email scanner enabled, and def''s updated, it let klez in.. THAT's when I finally had it. Even though Nod32's Pop3 email scanner is a bit of work to configure, it never let me down...

Finally after reading through these posts, I would like to comment on the following;

"I doubt being on disk has made ZA any better"

You're right! Being on disk only means the company decided to take that route of distribution, as far as I'm concerned. I tried ZA and stopped it, and I am using Agnitum Outpost Firewall Pro, which I downloaded. ZA Pro was a beast to use and configure. Fancy Smancy packages and such do not impress me. I like to really test the product first, and then I either use Total Uninstall (freeware) or I re-clone my machine to the earlier state. I don't even trust system restore that much. BUT, it I like the product, I do buy it. Nortin Cleansweep is on disk, but I use System cleaner, and evidence washer, which do a much more complete job. On the other hand I only have so many stores in my area to buy software, I don't like reading the manuals online, so I print them. i found NOD32's manual VERY easy to understand.

I don't know, sometimes I think the best things out there are the ones you have to look hard for...

Shooter...