Computer Shopper Review

hi, dont know if anyone has seen this, or is interested.....Computer Shopper mag did a group test which included nod32 v2. I think KASPERSKY won 'most desirable' and mcafee got highest number of stars....
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The designers behind NOD32 clearly didn't want to hide their clever anti-virus programming behind a dumbed-down interface. The package consists of a number of modules, and these are apparent in an unfamiliar Control Center. There are no namby-pamby Windows XP-style buttons here. Instead, you deal with Resident modules and filters.

These modules are called AMON, DMON, IMON and NOD32, which didn't mean anything to us until we'd clicked on each one and saw labels referring to them as the Resident module, MS Office document monitor, Internet Monitor and NOD32 module. This last module is probably the most useful on a daily basis. It allows you to scan

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floppy disks and local hard drives and perform an 'in-depth analysis'. The help file does not explain what this is, but we found that it enables an Advanced heuristics setting that could potentially improve its ability to detect viruses and Trojans.

NOD32 did well with our collection of files, missing only two of our Visual Basic scripts, which it allowed to run. This means that it's not the most accurate program on test, but it didn't do too badly.

As the infected emails entered our test system NOD32 displayed some dramatic alert windows. It also halted our email download session when it detected each file. In our hurry to avoid a stalled download we chose the wrong option and, as a result, we downloaded most of the viruses. However, NOD32's Resident module caught them once we saved the files from email to disk. There is a setting that allows NOD32 to handle incoming email viruses automatically, without the interfering warning pop-ups.

Perhaps Eset should now make the interface friendlier. Those with an interest in viruses will be pleased with this product's technical interface, but as it stands NOD32 reminds us of older Kaspersky products that were very competent at finding viruses but looked scary to newcomers.

 

Am of to the hospital now as I have never laughed so much in my life.

 

What can I say if someone likes the interface more than the ability to catch unknown viruses? Anyway, there will certainly be a brand new version (perhaps called NOD32 3.0) with a brand new and much simplified interface for novice users.

 

actually F-Secure got best buy. doesnt say what files nod let slip through - supposed its possible/likely that they didnt configure it properly
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here's the 'how we tested' bit:
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While a low price and a nice interface are important factors when choosing any software package, anti-virus programs primarily need to be effective. Companies claim that you are safe when you use their products, and our tests are designed to establish how true this is and how much is marketing flannel.

Each program was installed on a fresh Windows XP Professional system, and once it had been updated with the latest definitions and program enhancements we downloaded a number of email messages using Outlook Express. These included examples of today's most prevalent viruses (including variants of MyDoom, NetSky, LovGate and Bagle), as well as some well-known Trojans and some scripts that can be created by anyone lacking a social conscience and with the ability to download free software.

We've also taken some common steps to disguise one of the Trojans. Again, using well-known free software, we've done only what a knowledgeable attacker would do. A good anti-virus program should pick up the hostile files as they are downloaded by the email client. If it misses some, we give the anti-virus program a second chance. We save the attachment to the hard disk and scan it manually. If it remains unmolested we try to run it. If the attachment runs and the virus, Trojan or script is able to go about its business of mailing itself, opening backdoors for hackers to connect to and popping up annoying messages, the anti-virus program has failed in its task.

Our tests are challenging but entirely realistic. If an anti-virus program fails to pick up most of our files then it is lacking what we consider to be basic features. We've not written any original viruses; we've simply placed our test computers in the same situation as that faced by today's regular computer user.

 

The NOD interface is the best I have ever seen or used period.

 

I hope the current interface does not get changed. I don't like everything having the big Xp style buttons and stupid animations. I like it simple and resource friendly. Making it more user friendly means that more users will screw with the options instead of leaving them alone. Why do you think the windows registry looks so complicated?...to keep users out of it thats why. If windows updated the registry with stupid little icons and easy to use interface, people would be more inclined to muff it up.

 

I completely agree with Big D1.

NOD's interface rocks!

 

It'd be nifty if the GUI was skinnable. That way a simple "user-friendly" version could be made and then one for "advanced users". Anyone who likes the current GUI could have a skin for it as well.

 

I am not an expert but I did renew my subscription June 2004 and wouldn't think of changing to anything else.
I hope there are no superficial changes made including the interface (and I am even an old fogey at 49!)

 

I'm agree with Marcos. I prefer the heuristic and others features over the interface. Anyway, I think NOD32 interface is beautifull and not hard to understand.

 

Geez,users are never happy. If you make it a bit more complex they are complaining about being too hard to understand, and when you make it a bit more simple they are complaining it doesn't offer enough freedom.
NOD32 interface is just fine and it would be shame to change it at all.
Maybe just an option to completely remove unused modules from menu.
For example if i don't use IMON and DMON i should see only AMON there (currently unused are only grayed out). I always want to have everything nice and clean But this is again only a minor thing so...

 

I hate the others with there wizard driven interfaces, bloatware installs and leave you pc and come back tomorrow scans!

Nod is fast, small and in my opinion easy to use!. Oh and I forgot to mention install guides that work for corporate installs!

 

Like many of the others have said, I hope they don't "dumb down" the interface too much. The current interface is one of the things I like most about NOD32 vs the competition... well, that and it's detection accuracy and low resource use. Simplify the interface somewhat if you must, but make sure to retain all of the advanced configuration options somewhere in there as well. I'm sure you ESET guys will strike the right balance, though.

I hate products like NAV that have a fixed-size dialog box window with like three buttons and all it sort of says is "Virus detection enabled", or something fairly obvious like that. They give very few configuration options and install a bunch of screwy executables in your HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run registry setting (one for your AV, one for your scheduling app, one for your download manager, etc).

 

Oh ...... Please, don't make another kapersky Personal Interface......

I think all user need ( Both Advanced and Novice ) Is a simple and Clean Interface.

Symantec Cooperate and Mcafee VS Enterprise 8.0i Both have an Simple, easy to use, Clean looking, Professional Interface.

THere is only few issues to iron out for a better UI, And i think most of them has been mentioned in the Nod32 Wishlist............

Oh god......... i hate So called Novice interface that is happening in recent years......... That mean to me Bloat, Muti Colour interface only........

 

I don't have a problem with NOD's interface either. I actually think it's quite efficient for those interested in tweaking configuration (other than a couple obscurities like having a separate scan and clean button and a somewhat misleading quarantine option).

It's a shame that power-users and regular home users rarely want the same thing. I think Alec is right though and Eset will determine the right balance.

My biggest problem with these reviews is that they rarely mention that Norton or Mcafee will noticeably slow down your system, while NOD32 will have negligible impact on system performance even for power-gamers -- that's a very important point.

 

When i say Norton ( symantec ) or Mcafee , i meant there enterprise product. VS Enterprise 8.0i and cooperate edition.

I think interface should have divided........ Novice User don't tweak setting. And they hardly care about its UI anyway. All they need is it work. Power user want to tweak setting and UI should be effient and simple.

Both Norton and Mcafee Enterprise is very good without being heavy on resource, Honestly i don't think the interface is much different to NOd32.

It is how NOD32 arrange things and settings. How they name things and Section are putted into the wrong place. I don't buy the split Window design. Which i honestly think is pretty bad for a UI point of view.

 

Sounds nice - at install select 'Newbie' or 'Technological Genius' skin for interface. Although I laugh because I find the current interface intuitive and simple exactly as it is. Imaging trying to do user tech support with a fully skinnable interface. At the moment there's no problem with leading a user through any issue becuase the interface is as it is.

I'd bet money that they didn't follow Blackspears setup tutorial before running the tests.

 

I'm not sure what about the quarantine option is misleading - a renamed copy of the file is saved elsewhere with a two or three mosude click option to restore it to the original or alternate location (or permanently delete it)

EXACTLY !!

 

I don't want to get to far off topic here but I read in one of the replies in this thread that mcafee will slow down your computer. I have used mcafee on a dozen different computers over the years and have never had mcafee slow down one of my computers. I am useing mcafee 8.0i now and it runs as light on my machine as nod ever did. It all depends on each individual computer, a given antivirus program will run different on every machine it is installed on. That is why it is advisable to install and trial different av programs on the computer it will be used on. Personal reviews of antivirus programs are not to reliable simply because the reviewers av program is not going to perform on your computer exactually like it does on his. The major av review sites have a lot more resources available to use in testing but the results are still only an average, not a true result that you can always expect to match.

bigc