Utilties Poll 2005: Anti-Virus

LincLinc OwnerDetroit Icrontian
edited January 2006 in Science & Tech
Two years ago, Profdlp took a poll of some of our favorite utility programs. Ladies and Gentlemen, it's time for a recount! :cool: All polls will have a one-week voting window, but I'll be rolling them out faster than one a week this time.

Please vote which anti-virus is your choice AND comment on what makes it stack up above the others in your opinion. Thanks!
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Comments

  • djstubbsdjstubbs NJ
    edited August 2005
    I remember using McAfee way back in the day (4-5 years ago) and it being pretty much ineffective outside of scans.

    Norton just plain takes up too many resources for my liking, and never did quite what I wanted it to, and I paid for it.

    Since I've used both AVG Free, and Mozilla Firefox, I haven't had ANY viruses or spyware.

    Once in a while I run spybot / ad-aware but for the most part I just let AVG do it's thing, and I haven't had a problem since the switch.

    I commonly had spyware, and whatnot prior to using both, and also AVG uses close to 0 resources when compared to Norton.

    Running Norton is almost like running a CPU intensive game in addition to whatever else.
  • profdlpprofdlp The Holy City Of Westlake, Ohio
    edited August 2005
    I've been switching everyone in my family over to AVG as their Norton subscriptions run out. Norton does a fine job, but as djstubbs pointed out it tends to suck up half your computer in doing so.

    One thing I've noticed about AVG is that they have been much more aggressive in releasing updated virus definitions over the past few months.

    I like it so much I'm considering buying the full version. :)
  • djstubbsdjstubbs NJ
    edited August 2005
    profdlp wrote:
    I've been switching everyone in my family over to AVG as their Norton subscriptions run out. Norton does a fine job, but as djstubbs pointed out it tends to suck up half your computer in doing so.

    One thing I've noticed about AVG is that they have been much more aggressive in releasing updated virus definitions over the past few months.

    I like it so much I'm considering buying the full version. :)

    What are the benefits to upgrading to the full version?
  • profdlpprofdlp The Holy City Of Westlake, Ohio
    edited August 2005
    djstubbs wrote:
    What are the benefits to upgrading to the full version?
    As near as I can tell, it just gives you more options for running scheduled scans. :)
  • entropyentropy Yah-Der-Hey (Wisconsin)
    edited August 2005
    BitDefender (so, "Other"), I swear by it. I don't like AVG. Free can sometimes be good, but in this case it's just let too many slip by (when I intentionally throw viruses at it). BitDefender always has and (hopefully) always will catch them.
  • LincLinc Owner Detroit Icrontian
    edited August 2005
    entropy wrote:
    BitDefender (so, "Other"), I swear by it. I don't like AVG. Free can sometimes be good, but in this case it's just let too many slip by (when I intentionally throw viruses at it). BitDefender always has and (hopefully) always will catch them.
    Damn, I missed one. I changed "other" to "BitDefender" (no one else voted for it yet) and put a new "other" at the bottom of the list where it should have been anyway :)
  • ArmoArmo Mr. Nice Guy Is Dead,Only Aqua Remains Member
    edited August 2005
    AVG is the best anti virus ive ever seen, let alone its free :)
  • MissilemanMissileman Orlando, Florida Icrontian
    edited August 2005
    NOD32 is one of the best. Small footprint, very fast, and one of the best in detection. They update sometimes 4 or 5 times a day. Just can't go wrong.

    One thing I like about them is they always report browser and download viruses before the transfer begins. Even when double zipped. It has been the best I have tried and I have tried em all at one time or another.

    AVG is good and so is Avast. I use Avast for the free installs, but I pay for NOD32 :)
  • RWBRWB Icrontian
    edited August 2005
    AVG here.... nothings perfect, but at least this catches things Norton doesn't on my moms PC which HAD Norton. Still cleaning it out though since she refuses to reformat and I don't wanna work on it :p
  • mmonninmmonnin Centreville, VA
    edited August 2005
    None. I dont use any. I dont get viruses and the ones I have used, because I was a n00b and thought it was a must, were McAfee and Norton. They both had like 10 files running all the time and several services which pissed me off. Everytime I have had Norton on my PC or the families it ends up not autostarting for some damn reason and is pretty much worthless unless there is a regular scan done every day which may be pointless because it could be too late.

    At least for me, I think its pointless. I dont use floppies anymore, except for Sata and BIOS updates. I dont open crappy emails where I dont know the sender either. I will rather take the performance over the security risk.
  • muddocktormuddocktor
    edited August 2005
    I've switched just about everything over to AVG, but I might give Avast a whirl when the McAffee expires on my laptop (came with it and was free).
  • GrayFoxGrayFox /dev/urandom Member
    edited August 2005
    Symantec Anti Virus 9 corp.

    Uses almost no ram :).
  • LincLinc Owner Detroit Icrontian
    edited August 2005
    GrayFox wrote:
    Symantec Anti Virus 9 corp.

    Uses almost no ram :).
    I did the same thing to your vote that I did to entropy :) That's actually the version of Symantec's software I'm using too... I was just stuck on automatically associating Symantec with Norton... we all call it "Norton" around the office.
  • KwitkoKwitko Sheriff of Banning (Retired) By the thing near the stuff Icrontian
    edited August 2005
    AVG at home, eTrust at the office.
  • LincLinc Owner Detroit Icrontian
    edited August 2005
    bothered, what "other" do you use?

    Marc, ya didn't vote ;)

    Kwitko, is eTrust a company-wide thing, or did you pick it?
  • tcithtcith Sydney, Australia Member
    edited August 2005
    AVG for home and friends machines I rebuild
    Trend Micro Officescan and other suite of products in the office
  • Shadow2018Shadow2018 Northwest Missouri
    edited August 2005
    Panda Titanium A-V is one of the better options out there right now. From what I have seen it is the only A-V program that will detect the smitfraud trojan which has become a serious problem.
  • QCHQCH Ancient Guru Chicago Area - USA Icrontian
    edited August 2005
    AVG at home and stupid McAfee Enterprise 8.0i... and it sucks. Scans kill systems by taking resources.

    I do like the ability to stop McAfee during file transfers though. Many times, I need to transfer a file from one McAfee secure system to another McAfee system, I can turn both off, and it seems to help the transfer times. AVG doesn't seem to have a nice easy way to disable the AV. I believe Symantec even has a timer to allow you to turn off the scanner for X minutes or until next reboot.... If AVG could do that, I would be a die-hard AVG fan.
  • mmonninmmonnin Centreville, VA
    edited August 2005
    There wasnt a None option when I made that I think which I think you added after and thus the smilie.

    Plus its not the point of the Poll. The poll and the article following this poll would be be for someone who is looking for some anti-virus program and would like to see what other people are using.
  • profdlpprofdlp The Holy City Of Westlake, Ohio
    edited August 2005
    QCH2002 wrote:
    ...AVG doesn't seem to have a nice easy way to disable the AV...
    Right-Click the tray icon, left-click Quit AVG Control Center.

    How easy did you want? :vimp:
  • GHoosdumGHoosdum Icrontian
    edited August 2005
    Based on the results from last year, I tried running AVG for a little while. I got annoyed by the total lack of options available to the end user, so I switched to Avast for all the PC builds I've done for myself and my family since. Avast seems to work as well as Symantec did for me, but it's free, and less annoying than AVG was when I used it.
  • ZuntarZuntar North Carolina Icrontian
    edited August 2005
    Using Norton AV, but it is a system HOG!!! So I am looking at others right now, my lisences expire in Nov. 05.
  • GnomeWizarddGnomeWizardd Member 4 Life Akron, PA Icrontian
    edited August 2005
    avast ! arggggggggg
  • EyesOnlyEyesOnly Sweden New
    edited August 2005
    AVG here. :)

    BTW i checked the help file about pro and here's what i found:
    Some of the standard features of the AVG Professional Editions:

    Support of multiple languages

    Access to guaranteed high-speed servers for downloading updates and program upgrades

    Many scheduling options for updates and virus scans

    The ability to detect a connection to the Internet for downloading an update

    Technical support via e-mail (24x7x365) provided by anti-virus specialists

    Advanced options for handling infected files - healing infected files, deleting them or moving them to the Virus Vault

    Discount programs for schools, charities and other not-for-profit organizations

    The language options and schedules are the only once i would need but for now i'm content with the free version.
  • metomeyametomeya New
    edited August 2005
    hate to bringup an old thread, but.......

    you forgot one of the best FREE antiviruses, its called ANTIVIR

    Google it and download the free personal version. Looks a little old, but free updates, and it works and doesn't try to screw with your system! :thumbsup:




    P.S. If you are going to try it make sure to completely uninstall your other antivirus (unless you like blue screens of death), I forgot about my old one on time, but thats another thread.
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited August 2005
    Avg.
  • metomeyametomeya New
    edited August 2005
    Thrax wrote:
    Avg.


    Ya thats already been mentioned there buddy.

    Hey, didn't AVG stop giving updates?

    Or will stop making new version or something like that?
  • EyesOnlyEyesOnly Sweden New
    edited August 2005
    metomeya wrote:
    Ya thats already been mentioned there buddy.

    Hey, didn't AVG stop giving updates?

    Or will stop making new version or something like that?

    My avg still gets updates so i don't think so.
  • profdlpprofdlp The Holy City Of Westlake, Ohio
    edited August 2005
    EyesOnly wrote:
    My avg still gets updates so i don't think so.
    Ditto. In fact, besides virus definition updates, the program itself was updated (automatically) yesterday. :)
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited August 2005
    metomeya wrote:
    Ya thats already been mentioned there buddy.

    Hey, didn't AVG stop giving updates?

    Or will stop making new version or something like that?

    Good call. I can read.

    I was merely indicating my vote. Thanks.
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