Giant Antispyware

where did you bought your 2 year licence? I can only find one year, and if I buy it, I will buy two year licence not one.

Thanx in advance

 

I asked them on their online support live chat and they gave me a link. I think you can buy the product then upgrade your license another year at a cheaper price but you can email them and tell them you want a 2 year license and they'll look after you.

Dave

 

They are having a discussion about Giant on the SpwareWarrior Forum and I have just posted the following ramble there.

I have just found another anti-spyware product called CounterSpy by Sunbelt software. I was having difficulty providing a link so I hope the following link to the Google page works http://www.google.com/search?ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=counterspy softwareshelf It is the second link down on the page. (If my link doesn't work you can go to Google and type in counterspy softwareshelf).

The screenshots for this programme are on the right hand side of the page and they seem to be the same as Giant. The screenshot of the scan matches apart from the graphic bit in the middle. The real-time protection screenshot is also the same with 58 areas protected.

If you go onto Sunbelt software's site, again I am unable to provide a direct link, on the site map you will find CounterSpy. There you can link to the spyware library which, again, looks remarkably similar to the Giant Research Centre page.

To further add to this, the Research Centre information given by Giant is remarkably similar, even word for word in some cases, to the Pest Research given by PestPatrol. Even down to the "Giant/PestPatrol detects this. Giant/PestPatrol removes this".

What's the point of this post? Well, I am confused.

Just to add to the above. Here is an example of the research information given by Giant concerning doubleclick.
"DoubleClick is a popular ad serving network that uses spyware cookies, to target advertising.
DoubleClick uses Web bugs that could communicate with cookies from its Web site. The cookies then revealed past online behavior, even home addresses, IP addresses, and phone numbers to the bugs, and the bugs sent that information straight back to DoubleClick.
A company can also use the bugs to tie cookie histories to personal identifying information, such as your phone number and address. In fact, a California woman sued DoubleClick for just that behavior. The company bought another firm, Abacus Direct, which holds detailed consumer profiles on more than 90 percent of U.S. households. DoubleClick cross-referenced its spyware results with that database to compile surprisingly personal profiles. "

This is the information given by PestPatrol.
"DoubleClick is a mainstream ad network that uses various ways, including spyware cookies, to target advertising.
Online ad company DoubleClick used Web bugs that could communicate with cookies from its Web site. The cookies then revealed past online behavior, even home addresses, IP addresses, and phone numbers to the bugs, and the bugs sent that information straight back to DoubleClick.
A company can also use the bugs to tie cookie histories to personal identifying information, such as your phone number and address. In fact, a California woman sued DoubleClick for just that behavior. The company bought another firm, Abacus Direct, which holds detailed consumer profiles on more than 90 percent of U.S. households. DoubleClick cross-referenced its spyware results with that database to compile surprisingly personal profiles."

If you type "counterspy sunbelt software" into Google, you will find the Sunbelt site or try this http://www.google.com/search?ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=counterspy sunbelt software (I'm having trouble with my links tonight!)

 

I've just received a reply from muf on the other forum. I hope muf does not mind me repeating it here.

"Sunbelt CounterSpy is a legit licenced antispyware application that is affiliated with Giant. It's a partnership of a sort. As to the PestPatrol reference. Well Counterspy used to use the PestPatrol engine in it's product but now uses the Giant engine instead.

Hopefully this explains things a little better. There is no "copying" or "imitating" or "cloning" going on if that is your concern."

 

I had a look at the program and there's no doubt it's Giant. It seems that companies are entering affiliations with Giant because they like the potential of this software. It's an excellent program so it's no wonder people want to sell it.

The graphics are cool. I like the yellow but I do like Giant's original format too. It's Giant in a different skin.

Regards

Dave

 

Not at all!!!

 

According to the Sunbelt Software site CounterSpy is $19.95 for a year and Giant is $29.95 a year.
After the first year CounterSpy is also cheaper at $9.98 a year.
I wonder why the difference in price?

 

I wonder if the updates are on the same level or if it works like GDATA and KAV where Kav updates firts and sometimes need to wait two days for the same update. If that is the case, I will buy Giant in place of Sunbelt. Maybe some member could clarify it...Thanx in advance

 

I don't think highly of companies that sell their software so that it can be redistributed(with the exeptions of being bought out) and I don't think highly of companies that use other companies software/signatures. Just my thoughts...

 

This in of itself is not really a problem for me, as long as the product does what it supposed to do and nothing more........within reason.........after all, at the end of the day, it's all about the bottem line...

 

Just found this on Sunbelt's 'CounterSpy site!!

http://research.sunbelt-software.com/threat_display.cfm?name=MyWay Search Bar

Here's a copy & paste -

Advise: Keep Currently not an issue.
It is a relatively safe application, with only limited anonymous web surfing tracking. The application is listed for easy removal through GIANT AntiSpyware.


Notice that they forgot to remove the name GIANT on their site which is supposed to be representing their product CounterSPY As I said, this program IS GIANT. They have even fogot to remove the Giant name in the above link and it's funny to see them recommending CounterSPY and using GIANT to delete??

Dave

 

Nice work

Also, you could compare this:

http://www.spynet.com/threat_info_browse.aspx

to this:

http://research.sunbelt-software.com/threat_library_browse.cfm

They have the exact same listings.

And this:

http://research.sunbelt-software.com/threat_library_list.cfm?category=Adware

to this:

http://www.spynet.com/threat_info_browse_threats.aspx?category=Adware

No doubt about it. Pathetic.

 

I don't think this is a bad thing except for the re-sellers. They have simply shot themselves in the foot by creating all this confusion when the products are the same. Sticking with the Giant label would have got them more sales instead of having to start from scratch but it is a kind of tribute to Giant anti-spyware that companies want to sell it because it is becoming very popular.

So the botom line is that Giant AS is very good. Good enough to want to franchise it.

Dave

 

Hello, I'm the president of Sunbelt.

Giant and Sunbelt have been close partners now for quite some time. CounterSpy is our version of their antispyware program. However, both companies are going in seperate directions from a development standpoint.

Regarding the forum, mea culpa! I'll get that corrected.

Alex Eckelberry

 

I bought the license to CounterSpy on the 5th of December. But ever since I installed it I have a licvense period of not 365 but 12x (where x is a downgoing number) days. Already three emails going to Sunbelt and still no solution. Not good....

 

I'm always careful of imitations. The program is similar in many ways but the company is different and so is support. There may be other mistakes in programming that they made when transferring over to Sunbelt. I would have played safe and bought direct from Giant.

Dave

 

I think that is a bit of bs. Sunbelt is a good and strong company. If they bring out a progrma it must be good. And I got already some replies on the emails I sent with possible solutions but so far they did not work. So their support is fine.

Now I only have to get that real one year license

 

Just received the so far final email, and they have found out what the problem is. No rpoblem that can't be solved. The situation was mimiced, the clock put forward and then you see that the program gives the correct date. So now 125 days and in 125 days some more 240 days or so.

Great support! And for 10 dollars less I would suggest that people buy CounterSpy instead of Giant.

 

alexeck wrote:

I am trialling Giant and Counterspy currently. As has been said, they are both very similar - probably identical in their engines and data, though there is a small price difference.

I am impressed with both, but I wonder how the issue of "both companies are going in separate directions from a development standpoint" will affect their relative performances.

Can alexeck give us more information on this? I would like to read comments, speculative or otherwise, from anyone else here on this matter before I decide which product to purchase.

Some issues that occur to me include the possibility that Counterspy's access to Giant's databases might end over time.

Would Counterspy's new datatbases be as comprehensive then? If Counterspy develops in a separate directions, will that affect the basic engine & data base?

In what other separate directions might they develop?

Both offer connection to a "Spyware Fighters Network". Do Giant and Counterspy share the same network? How long will this arrangement, if it exists, continue?

I realise that these questions might be impossible to answer right now, but they do strike me as factors that could affect a purchase decision.

 

I'm personally sticking with Giant but buy whichever you wish.

Dave

 

Worldcitizen, what made you decide to stick with Giant rather than go Counterspy?

 

My head tells me to stick with Giant because with Sunbelt this is a relatively new field whereas Giant has been out for a while and knows their way around a lot better.

The clone of Giant (CounterSpy) had some faults and I think Sunbelt have a lot of catching up to do experience wise whereas Giant have already gained that experienced.

Eventually Sunbelt may get things together but I want to be sure my PC is in good experienced hands NOW not in 6 months time when they've learned the ins and outs of spyware.

Eventually they'll catch up and it won't make any difference but until they do I'm sticking with Giant.

Dave

 

Thanks Worldcitizen. Because ofthe questions I have and the issues you mention I think that I also will opt for Giant.

 

Glad I could help. I know CounterSpy is cheaper but even now if I hadn't have bought Giant I would still have payed that extra knowing what I do now because I've had a lot of dealings with their tech support guys and I think they're really trying to make Giant a very good product.

Dave

 

I started trialing Giant yesterday and thus far am highly impressed. I also have Spy Sweeper, AdAware SE Plus and eTrust PestPatrol- all the latest versions and most recent updates.

Giant has found a few items none of the above found; however, the most significant difference I've observed thus far is that Giant doesn't seem to cause 10-20 second CPU utilization spikes nor any significant overall increase in CPU utilization.

I also like Giant's clean GUI and smoothness in how it "works behind the scenes" during real time guarding. The frequency of updates is impressive, to say the least. Of course, one has to be cautious of using this factor as a determinate until more long term experience is gained.

If my positive experience continues as it has in the last 24 hours, I definitely will be switching over to Giant. I'm trying to get info on the 2 year subscription rate. Thus far, Giant has not responded to my email on this issue...maybe today.