Free may not be perfect, but it is darn close.

Discussion in 'other anti-malware software' started by trjam, May 6, 2007.

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  1. trjam

    trjam Registered Member

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    For people who are fairly safe, I am beginning to think, why the hell should you pay for any product. I just set my friend up with Comodos firewall,Comodo malware, Antivir Classic. and SAS Free and told him to scan with it once a week. It may not meet perfection with some of you, but it secured him and didnt cost a cent. I just cant see shelling out 60 to 70 bucks for something that is just as good free, from a few vendors. Actually better in some cases.:rolleyes:
     
  2. ASpace

    ASpace Guest

    I can only comment for myself .

    Because I want perfection . What is "60 to 70 bucks" when they give me perfection ?! The answer is nothing .
    Perfection is priceless ;)
     
    Last edited by a moderator: May 6, 2007
  3. lodore

    lodore Registered Member

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    somethings money cant buy for everything else theres mastercard:D

    ok back on topic.
    that is a nice setup for your friend.
    if you use the internet everyday its worth paying for protection IMO.
    but if you only use it sometimes free is better
    lodore
     
  4. ASpace

    ASpace Guest

    :D :D :D
     
  5. Londonbeat

    Londonbeat Registered Member

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    Using Antivir classic, with SAS and AVG AS as on-demand back-ups, you'd be hard pushed to find a paid level of detection that has a better breadth of coverage, IMHO. SAS's capability of removing tough malware and some rootkits coupled with AVG's wider range of malware detection back-up realtime Antivir well, just in case something did get through Antivir's powerful heuristics and top-notch signature database.
     
  6. ronjor

    ronjor Global Moderator

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    A few posts removed. Let's focus on the software.
     
  7. sukarof

    sukarof Registered Member

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    Personally - I am geek. I love to test new things and I have the money to pay for it. But as for friends I always recommend free stuff, mainly because 9 out of 10 times they dont want to pay and they dont want to be bothered too much from the security software.

    From experience I know that the free ware stuff is enough most of the time.
    For example I have a friend and she somehow always attracts malware. I have hardened her system (clean install) with prevx1, Boclean and Comodo Firewall (OLE/COM protection turned off for a smooth ride), Avast AV and Firefox with noscript. Thats what I use on one of my installations and have never failed me. Well that doesn't say much really since I never encounter malware - unwillingly.

    That was a month ago and I am still waiting for her to complain about malware. Actually I do wish she will coz I am getting a bit to sure about my self and my security setup (but plz dont tell her that :) )
     
  8. Jarmo P

    Jarmo P Registered Member

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    An antivirus is never a first line of defense. It is the last, but good to have anyways.
    Firewall and also I recommend a virtualization software as first before an AV.
    Also some sort of hips program to know what your system runs, but hips's can cause troubles if not knowing how to operate them. But in general you should know. Windows task manager is an often overlooked tool, but it is very usefull, for deluxe something like Process Explorer.

    Free AV's like Avast and Antivir will give IMO the last defense same as any pay AV's. It is the last defense and they are not really needed if all first done well.
     
    Last edited: May 6, 2007
  9. JerryM

    JerryM Registered Member

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    Hi sukarof,
    Although I am using mostly paid security programs, I doubt that my set up is any more secure than the combination you set up for your friend. I have always liked Avast Home in combination with a good anti-trojan/anti-malware application. Is the free 6 month trial of AntiVir Premium a free or paid AV?

    I think "you done good."
    But I WOULD tell on you if I ever ran into her. :D :D

    Regards,
    Jerry
     
  10. ellison64

    ellison64 Registered Member

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    Nothing wrong with freeware ,but i guess if no one ever purchased anything ,then the vendors wouldnt be able to afford to offer a free version in the first place.Free security apps are usually subsidised somewhere along the line by paying customers,and many are just a sprat to catch a mackerel.Most of the suites these days are not that much better than thier freeware equivalents ,but its nice to have it under the one roof with the payware ,rather than several freeware apps doing the same job.
    ellison
     
  11. coolbluewater

    coolbluewater Registered Member

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    That's why I use Linux (or BSD) for pretty much everything these days - far less security headaches, and I have 99% of what Windows does without the bloat, plus many more things Windows won't do, and all for free.
    I use Windows primarily for gaming, or running virtualized in Linux once in awhile using VirtualBox (also free).
     
  12. De Hollander

    De Hollander Registered Member

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    If the price is reasonable, I buy the product :thumb: …..Going out for a drink at night cost sometimes more than a 1 year license :D
     
  13. IS200

    IS200 Registered Member

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    I like Commodo free firewall, but it asks too many questions.
    I was installing a piece of software yesterday, and I had to confirm that action a, b, c, was okay 20 times! That's ridiculous!
     
  14. lodore

    lodore Registered Member

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    sometimes i used the paid version to avoid any nag screens or lower prority updates or only allowed to update once a day.
    but mostly its to support the company
    lodore
     
  15. IS200

    IS200 Registered Member

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    When I was in my teens I never paid for software.

    Now, when I find something good, I'll fork over the dosh.

    I'm getting old!
     
  16. lodore

    lodore Registered Member

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    people at college laugh at me sometimes for paying for software.
    i always hope there illegal licenses they obtain from torrents get black listed.
    lodore
     
  17. IS200

    IS200 Registered Member

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    The people who laugh at you are fools!

    Programmers need to get paid and feed their families too.
     
  18. Mrkvonic

    Mrkvonic Linux Systems Expert

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    Hello,
    99% of software I use is free.
    Most of these products surpass the payware by several orders of magnitude.
    The few select pieces of software that I paid for are truly extraordinaire in my capitalism dictionary, being TU and ATI.
    Mrk
     
  19. lodore

    lodore Registered Member

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    i wouldnt call ATI truly extraordinaire:D
    also what is TU short for?
    lodore
     
  20. lu_chin

    lu_chin Registered Member

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    Maybe Total Uninstall.

     
  21. prius04

    prius04 Registered Member

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    Perhaps that's a bit too high of an accolade but it's pretty decent for the price, IMHO ($35 shipped from Newegg). I don't want to touch off anything but I'd sure like to know why a competing product costs ~$20 more while still another competitor charges *double* that Newegg price. Also, I have tried one of those competing products and the only thing I noticed was it was a bit less bloated than ATI....not much else other than that, though, particularly in terms of performance.
     
  22. lodore

    lodore Registered Member

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    edit off topic
    lodore
     
    Last edited: May 6, 2007
  23. gerardwil

    gerardwil Registered Member

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    Lodore,

    This is an anti-virus Forum. I am getting sick of your Paragon stories, although I use it myself.

    Gerardo
     
  24. LowWaterMark

    LowWaterMark Administrator

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    Good point, gerard. Since even the first post starting this thread was not just about anti-virus software, but, about any free security software, as are many replies now, I'll move this somewhere better suited for the discussion.
     
  25. lodore

    lodore Registered Member

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    it is about free secuirty software and Mrkvonic talked about his paid software
    which was ATI
    anyway i have edited my post above since it was OT

    back on topic:
    freeware security software is fine but some software is worth paying for e.g. kaspersky,superantispyware pro to name a few.
    comodo boclean is a fine freeware app.
    lodore
     
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