bad News for PcTools AV?

I knew this day would come when Symantec bought them out.

 

My argument has never been that companies don’t stumble and make mistakes -- only that major investments, such as an acquisition, are considered carefully. These internal deliberations do not guarantee success, of course.

If you are interested in this subject, please read the recent book: How The Mighty Fall by Jim Collins.

 

Not sure where to post this, but thought this thread might do.

Considering PC Tool's spyware doctor doing extremely well in the latest AV Comparatives report, thought I'd youtube the program, see how the latest version is.

Part 1, Part 2, Part 3.

Although it blocked all the threats in the video, without getting into discussion on the number of threats blocked, I'm most impressed by its alerts, and how easy it would be for a user to simply block a threat.

With threatfire built in, it's become one powerful program. Features here: http://www.pctools.com/forum/showthread.php?t=61050

What I'm getting at, if it is indeed a light program now (or on the path to improving), its detection rate is improving, has some new valuable features (blocking malicious website, game mode) and many reviews saying it does a great job in cleanup, after seeing how easy it is to setup and use, it might be a great alternative for those people that worry about which action a user might select with threatfire's alerts.

That's always my worry anyway.

SD with AV seems to give more basic and clearer alerts (than threatfire). So if pc tools keeps developing just three products, threatfire, firewall, and spyware doctor with AV (seen it for around $20, one licence), I think they should have a good future ahead. If the program performs as well as it does in those videos above, could be a solid program for users that have a habit of installing rogues and toasting their system.

 

Hope my Firewall is safe... PC Tools Firewall Plus

Zeena

 

It's a shame that PC Tools AV Free doesn't contain the Spyware doctor definitions and it's therefore not effective against spyware

 

You can find Spyware Doctor with Anti-Virus free from Google.
http://pack.google.com/intl/en/pack_installer.html?hl=en

 

how good is it?

 

It missing half the (older) antispyware sig's still. I wish they did not get rid of the anispyware only free edition

 

lol. I just did a clean image restore to get rid of threatfire because of this news.

 

Very good detection and only a few FP at AV-C

Does this version have a crippled database?

 

Also wondering if anyone is using the latest version of spyware doctor with AV, paid version?

Impressive AV-C results.

Found some info on the google pack edition:
http://www.pctools.com/forum/showthread.php?t=64361&highlight=google pack

Seems to have same virus and definitions. Difference being, google edition has file and immunizer guard. Paid edition has 8 more active guards. I'm guessing this is browser (block drive-by downloads), IM, email, cookie - advertising tracking, intelliguard (monitors for malicious activity - threatfire component) etc.

If it is a good program nowadays, going for fairly cheap at the v3 store.

 

I have the latest version from a promotion but using defensewall instead.
Spyware Doctor is not heavy but unfortunately it freezes things if you know what I mean.
On some occasions it simply freezes my pc for apparently no reason, so that is why I had to switch back to defensewall. When the kids are home shadow defender.