LONG-time lurker (lurking like a motherfucker, hi Opal, Rio, by Duran Duran and all that ), but I HAD to register and post on this one.
I’ve seen several places in the past month or so advocating AVG anti-virus, and I agree. I’ve used it for a year or so, and I LOVE it. Low resource demands, not obtrusive, does what it’s supposed to.
HOWEVER. . .
Starting sometime in January, they are going to demand payment for use. Thus, I can’t recommend it as a good, freeware antivirus anymore. I myself recently went on a search to find a new, free antivirus that will deliver good protection without bogging down system resources. After much reading and Googling, I’m currently using Avira AntiVir Personal Edition Classic (quite the mouthful there), but only for the past few days, so can’t recommend it wholeheartedly.
I didn’t want a bunch of ppl running out to get what is now essentially a 30-day free trial, so here I am. Sorry, if you’re cheap or broke like me, you should look elsewhere, but if you’re willing and/or able to put up cash for a good product, you could do a lot worse.
When Straight Dope upgrades their gerbils, I’ll register here on a more permanent basis and pay my dues.
I’ve seen this bit of misinformation floating around before so I thought I’d better clarify: The CURRENT free version (AVG 7.1) will be discontinued on Jan 15, 2007. However, a NEW free version (AVG 7.5) is available to replace it (click here and read the paragraph under "New Free Anti-Virus).
Part of the reason for this misconception is due to AVG’s (intentionally?) misleading upgrade notice which implies that their new versions are pay-only. This is not the case, however, as you will see if you go to their free site, http://free.grisoft.com/, instead of their commercial site, http://www.grisoft.com/.
ACK! Yes, the pop-up that comes up when you update the virus definitions is worded to make you think they are discontinuing offering it for free. “Well, it was nice while it lasted.”, I thought, and so I never researched it further.
OK, I retract the above “info” I provided, and am going off to DL the new AVG v7.5.
Nice to know I made my first SD post in The Pit, with totally irrelevant info. At least I gots my favorite antivirus back.
ACK! Yes, the pop-up that comes up when you update the virus definitions IS worded to make you think they are discontinuing the free version. “Well, it was nice while it lasted.”, I thought, and so I never researched it further.
OK, I retract the above “info” I provided, and am going off to DL the new AVG v7.5.
Nice to know I made my first SD post in The Pit, with totally irrelevant info. At least I gots my favorite antivirus back.
Wow, after lurking for years, I’ve really gathered my strength for one clusterfuck of an intro. . .posting info that is incorrect, double-posting, and incorrectly referencing a long-standing inside joke. ( Think man, think! What’s the proper response? )
“I’m pretty sure the gerbils have more dark meat!” (No, you idiot! Everyone’s heard that Bobcat routine by now!)
“Of course, by dark meat, I meant EVERYONE knows gerbils have more highly developed hindquarters, and OBVIOUSLY would be an upgrade to the present hamsters.” (You’re talking out your ass, man! Several of these ppl have probably worked in genetically engineering hamsters and gerbils, and could, from memory, point out the genome sequences of each that proves I’m wrong!)
The The, the heavy spin that you’re putting on your transgressions ought to be enough to power the Boards when the hamsters have their day off.
Actually – erroneous though the information contained therein was – your first post was given in the spirit of the SDMB, and Hodge came along and corrected you; exactly how it’s all supposed to work, I think, unless we require that everything posted on the SDMB be 100% correct upon pain of death. I hadn’t heard about the “AVG no longer free” meme, so was glad to have it debunked even before it became an issue for me.
But – The The, if you’ve been around since “Rio by Duran Duran”, please redeem yourself by ponying up the $14.95…
My cite for them being hamsters? You pay for 'em, you get to call 'em what you want.
Lynn, that’s more than 90% of computer users know how to do.
I currently work as a computer consultant. Often I get sent to some place or other because local users “can’t get the Big Computer Program to work”.
Counting how many times I’ve gotten there and the biggest problems were with the Big Computer Program takes one hand and I’ve got fingers left. Now, counting how many times I’ve discovered that people had been thrown from pen-and-paper into Big Program + Excel + Word without so much as receiving training on “how to get a screenshot” takes… uhm… excuse me people, can I borrow some hands and feet here? I’m out of fingers and toes!
My 66yo mother took an “internet introduction” course last year, courtesy of City Hall. At first the students were all women her age; after they’d been there for 3 weeks they were joined by several young doctors (all below age 30) from the local hospital who’d heard about the course and figured out that “gee, maybe it would be a good idea to learn more about computers than the one program we use at work!” I know many, many people who manage to graduate college without opening Word at all (many professors accept handwritten essays; some majors have all-teamwork homework where those people can always get someone else to handle the typing). I could hear Mom bouncing up and down, when she was telling me on the phone about “knowing more computer stuff than the babies!”
With regards to the AVI/Grisoft discussion, I have friends who use the paid version and those that use the free one. Both seem happy, and both versions seem to be less intrusive to the machine than their competitors. So even if AVG stopped providing the free one, the paid version might still be the best on the market, and their fee is lower as well.
), but I HAD to register and post on this one.
