ZoneAlarm Security Suite question

Just curious... I am now using Outpost 2.5 (trial) on my PC and I love it so far... however, looking at the features that ZoneAlarm Security Suite offer, it has features that I'd want like IM Security, etc... so I am just curious if anyone thinks that going to ZoneAlarm Security Suite would be a bad idea from using Outpost or stick with Outpost because it provides better protection then ZoneAlarm..

Thanks again!

 

IM security is only good if the other party uses it too . Useless as far as I am concerned . And ZAP stinks . Very newbie friendly though . Decent job but , it continues to slide down . They are only getting worse . It has been that way for a little over a year now . ZAP is something I have used and followed extensively . Used to be near the top . It is an awful firewall compared to some others . It works . But , as time has shown , they do not care for their customers and they do not care how good the product is . Sad but true . Sorry .

 

OK... Thanks for that information hollywoodpc ! That helps alot... I just thought to ask because again of the features but I will stick to my current 30-day trial with Outpost.

Thanks again!

 

Good Advice given Here and One who is willing to listen. I call that a GOOD outcome.

 

Yup... I am very very interested in learning/using antivirus software and firewall software. Thanks for the compliment tho mercurie. I do agree, very good advice that hollywoodpc gives and others .

 

Hollywoodpc-

Could you be so kind as to tell us why ZA "stinks". I know that fertilizer stinks without anyone giving me the details, but I recently trialed ZA, and while I decided not to adopt it, I do not think that any shortcomings I found stink. Opinion is fine, but unsubstantiated opinion is not, IMHO.

Your humble undewater computer geek,
Diver

 

i don't think most people realize za stinks until they try something else. for most noobs za is a logical choice. it's easy to use and it offers good protection. i use to be a big fan, but now, i think they're trying to 'do too much'. i'm not to keen on all the extras they offer. GuardianofNight, stick with the outpost 2.5. although on paper, za offers more, or so it sounds, more is not always better. i have to agree with hollywood 100%.

but if you so desire, try zone alarm security suite. use it for a week. when you climb to the top of a 20 story building threatening to jump 'cuz u can't take it anymore, don't say i didn't warn you.

damn, i didn't mean to bash za again, but i couldn't resist.

 

ZA has it's pluses and minuses.. I wouldn't say it "stinks" any more than any other product though. But some surely have had bad experiences with it. My experience with it has been fairly good. To each his own...

 

Intoxicated-

Same to you. Its not fertilizer, tell me why. And don't tell me the 5.1 version was bad, because the 5.5 version fixed that stuff. Don't tell me it is a bloated app, because even if it has a lot of non essential stuff in it, its memory usage is not that bad compared to Outpost, Sygate Kerio 4 and Tiny 6.X. I know where it is weak, but I don't think that is stinky. Noobe friendly is not bad, you may not realize it, but most folks can not contend with anything more complex than ZA. The best firewall is useless if you mess up the rules. Like I said before, I decided not to use it for myself, so I have no vested interest. But, taking smacks at some product without any explanation is not exactly the high road.

 

K- you slid that in while I was writing.

 

Yep, that happens to me sometimes too..

 

All,
I was a loyal Zone Alarm user for years and still would consider using free 4.xx then jump all the way to 5.5x what was in between was a disaster for many. And they were slow to respond and kept adding stuff that other applications did a better job of. Then to add insult to injury they dropped ZA Plus for those who wanted a pure firewall.

Oh yes, that is a good point about OutPost I run mine with alot those plug ins turned off.

I lost the Zone Alarm faith and love I once had for it. I thought it was very likely to do with Checkpoint take over so I just moved on. I just want to not be misunderstood here. I am not a believer in bashing product just to be doing it. I always have a reason for my remarks most of it is just experiences. I also understand these remarks were directed to specific words use by hollywoodpc, but I did speak in support of his post and wanted to be clear. I still believe he is on the mark not based only one this post but others on similar threads.

 

ok, ok. i hate zass because:

1). im security is totally worthless.

2). anti-virus it comes with is virtually worthless.

3). i can't stand that ugly little icon in the bottom corner of my computer looking at me day in and day out. it just flashes back and forth, driving me crazy, and i want to punch my computer monitor......sry.

4). my wife left me because i used za.

5). my dog ran away because i used za.

6). the a's lost the playoffs last year. yeah that's right......'cuz of za!

7). honestly, i just had compatability issues (i think). i don't know what it was, but i could never get yahoo! messenger to work right. i posted many times in the yahoo forums, but nobody could figure it out. for me this was a big issue. i also experienced random freezes, boot-up problems and shut down problems at times. i never had them with za 4.5, but they would only occur with versions 5.0 and higher. maybe it was just a problem with zonealarm security suite, i never tried za free or za pro after version 4.5 because i had bought the suite.

i was also not a big fan of all the extras it offered. the anti-virus monitoring, that password lock thingy, and i wanted something that offered me a chance to make more rules. i didn't like the expert rules za offers. i just wanted a simple, yet configureable firewall, for me it was outpost.

so, i believe za stinks, and nobody should use za, because i don't like it.

 

Diver .
Did not mean to stir things up .
Ok . You find 5.5 has fixed some bugs . I will not begin to waste my time based on that . If you do your research you will find that 5.5 is the worst version they have released . Some things to watch are the referrer blocking and cookie control . Although the y are ticked on , sometimes they do not work . Such a minor issue but , as Intox said , they are doing too much . They shortcut everything now . They are adding extras and letting the protection level drop . This has gone on for a long time . I am allowed to say it stinks and owe you no explanation . If you wish to use it , do so . I am trying to help someone that is learning . ZAP is very nice , interface wise , IMHO , but , their protection level continues to slide . Again . Research and you will find SOOOO many ZAP users have gone back to 4.5 because after that , it got bad . I am sorry for stirring things up . ZAP is not a top class firewall , whether anyone likes it or not . At one time it was . Once they were bought out , or taken over , it turned to crap . If you cannot smell it , you are one of the few .

 

Intox .
The AV is the worst of the worst ! And sorry bout your dog . Damned ZAP
lol

 

i don't have a dog.

 

Yes hollywoodpc, they have slipped badly I am just certain of this and can not back away from this position.

 

Folks....let's Please keep a good worth while thread going by sticking to the subject matter. There's really no need to get all riled because user A dislikes program B

My vote....I just adore my early version ZAF

 

i think the people who have used za for a long time are just disappointed in what's happened in the last year or so, and don't like the direction they have taken. deep down i will always love za, it was my first firewall, . but, look at the za forums and read throught the posts. ask what version the 'gurus' are using and most aren't even running the newer versions.

keep in mind allot of posts have been removed. those of you who were monitoring and participating in the boards after the 5.0 release know what i'm talking about.

 

sorry bubba.

 

Ahhhh yes Bubba the days when ZA was a simple thing to use and understand.

 

yep, very true.

 

The icon has to be one of the most annoying things about ZA. It's really trivial and silly, but it drives me crazy too. I run Firefox or Mozilla and minimize it all the time, and for some reason Firefox/Mozilla does some kind of minor traffic about every 10 or 15 seconds. So I have to watch the ZA icon flashing traffic constantly. It's much too sensitive, especially in the newer 5.5 versions.

That alone is probably enough to turn off a lot of people...

 

Wow . Mercurie and Bubba . I TOTALLY agree . I was a diehard fan of ZA from way back . So I watched it slowly die . But only AFTER the Checkpoint integration . After that , poof . Mercurie , you make an excellent point . Those of us that used it in the past , know what it used to be . There is no comparison to ZA of the past . I will make it simple since Bubba has called me down , Outpost is an excellent firewall . Protection wise , you will not find better . See Bubba . I did not say ZAP sucked that time . Oops . Sorry . Teasing . only teasing . Sorry Bubba . Hope I have cleared myself up as well .

 

I am currently useing ZA 4.5 and I don't see anything wrong with it. and I don't notice it giving off any odoriferous emenations.

bigc