# Zone Alarm has jumped the shark **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [November 13, 2011, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zone-alarm-has-jumped-the-shark/602765 "2011-11-13T03:40:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2011, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zone-alarm-has-jumped-the-shark/602765/1 "2011-11-13T03:40:14Z")
“We’re sorry you didn’t pay attention while installing the upgrade.” For some fucking reason, I wasn’t expecting you to turn into fucking Adobe or Java, and sneak in a fucking checklist. Beyond that, I have turned off your fucking toolbars and they all come back. I have turned off your IE toolbar and it still comes back. I have turned off your spam email filter and it still comes back. I have turned off your Outlook toolbar and it still comes back. I set the quick scan to weekly, the normal scan to monthly, the full scan to yearly, and every fucking day I got the full scan which takes two hours to complete. I disabled all of them, figuring I’d run a scan as and when I desired, and every fucking day I still get the full scan which takes over two hours to complete. I’ve given you good money for over ten years. That’s done. I hope you die in a gutter. ---
**Author:** ![Absolute](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b2d939/32.png) [@Absolute](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Absolute)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2011, 6:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zone-alarm-has-jumped-the-shark/602765/2 "2011-11-13T06:06:31Z")
When you use free software, you’re not the customer. ---
**Author:** ![armedmonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@armedmonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/armedmonkey)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2011, 6:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zone-alarm-has-jumped-the-shark/602765/3 "2011-11-13T06:17:45Z")
> [@Frank](#): > > I’ve given you good money for over ten years. Really? Why? ---
**Author:** ![Sri\_Theo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f04885/32.png) [@Sri\_Theo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sri_Theo)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2011, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zone-alarm-has-jumped-the-shark/602765/4 "2011-11-14T00:51:11Z")
Just get Microsoft Security Essentials, its what all the cool kids are using these days. It’s lightweight, completely unobtrusive and highly effective. There’s no real reason to use or pay for any other programme. I’d also throw out a recommendation for Secunia PSI which is another lightweight programme that simply checks all your software is up to date, and alerts you or silently updates them depending on your preference. Very handy. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2011, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zone-alarm-has-jumped-the-shark/602765/5 "2011-11-14T01:58:58Z")
I installed an update for Zone Alarm on Saturday. I had so many problems in Firefox on sites that I use routinely that I uninstalled it and went with Windows Firewall. I had been using ZA for 10 years without a problem. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2011, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zone-alarm-has-jumped-the-shark/602765/6 "2011-11-14T02:02:42Z")
Zone Alarm is one of my top two “Kill it with Fire” Antivirus programs. I see it causing so many problems on my customer’s computers. ---
**Author:** ![humanafterall](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/humanafterall/32/19654_2.png) [@humanafterall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/humanafterall)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2011, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zone-alarm-has-jumped-the-shark/602765/7 "2011-11-14T02:39:08Z")
Or just go Ubuntu or something Linux. It’s very secure, because most types of viruses are not compatible with Ubuntu. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2011, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zone-alarm-has-jumped-the-shark/602765/8 "2011-11-14T02:47:33Z")
It’s difficult to believe that anyone is still using Zonealarm. I ran into so many problems with that program years ago on other people’s computers, that I removed it from all consideration. ---
**Author:** ![Greg\_Charles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/839c29/32.png) [@Greg\_Charles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Greg_Charles)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2011, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zone-alarm-has-jumped-the-shark/602765/9 "2011-11-14T03:43:33Z")
When does Java sneak in a checklist? ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2011, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zone-alarm-has-jumped-the-shark/602765/10 "2011-11-14T04:38:57Z")
> [@humanafterall](#): > > Or just go Ubuntu or something Linux. It’s very secure, because most types of viruses are not compatible with Ubuntu. Sure thing. :rolleyes: God I hate when techies assume that everyone else actually gives a shit about this stuff. They just want computers that work, and that means Windows, because that’s what everyone else has. My 72 year old mother wouldn’t know Ubuntu from Swahili and she certainly has no interest in dealing with that shit. Frankly, neither do I, and I work with computers. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2011, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zone-alarm-has-jumped-the-shark/602765/11 "2011-11-14T05:31:25Z")
> [@Absolute](#): > > When you use free software, you’re not the customer. Not true with Open Source software, or Free Software as defined by the Free Software Foundation. ---
**Author:** ![Grumman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/43a26b/32.png) [@Grumman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grumman)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2011, 5:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zone-alarm-has-jumped-the-shark/602765/12 "2011-11-14T05:50:27Z")
I only have two complaints about ZoneAlarm: - The last update required that I restarted my computer _twice_ - once to uninstall the old version, and once to install the new version. I think that’s a first. - The interaction of its “your program has been updated - ask for permissions again” feature and a few Steam games that can’t cope with this requirement, thus freezing the computer as the game waits for permission that I can’t give, because it froze the computer. ---
**Author:** ![Mann\_Slaughter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@Mann\_Slaughter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mann_Slaughter)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2011, 7:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zone-alarm-has-jumped-the-shark/602765/13 "2011-11-14T07:40:23Z")
And is it just me or is the “Remember This” checkbox gone? Before the latest update ZoneAlarm would alert me when a program tried to access the Net, give me an option to “Approve” or “Deny”, but would also have a checkbox if I wanted it to remember which choice I made. It appears that’s gone. Now I have to go to the program list, and put red 'X’s on the stuff I want to permanently block or it just keeps flashing the warning whenever the program requests access. > [@Sri\_Theo](#): > > Just get Microsoft Security Essentials, its what all the cool kids are using these days. It’s lightweight, completely unobtrusive and highly effective. There’s no real reason to use or pay for any other programme. I could be wrong, but I’m using MSE (installed it with Windows 7 after Avast Antivirus jumped the shark) and as far as I know it’s only for antivirus/antimalware. It has never shown any active firewall properties, such as alerting me when an installed program is trying to access the Net, or my network. ---
**Author:** ![Harborwolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@Harborwolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harborwolf)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2011, 11:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zone-alarm-has-jumped-the-shark/602765/14 "2011-11-14T11:21:25Z")
> [@Greg\_Charles](#): > > When does Java sneak in a checklist? Every time it updates. Tosses in a toolbar that you have to deselect. I’ve slipped once or twice on it, but at least you can uninstall it easily enough. ---
**Author:** ![Wallenstein](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b5a626/32.png) [@Wallenstein](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wallenstein)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2011, 12:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zone-alarm-has-jumped-the-shark/602765/15 "2011-11-14T12:26:33Z")
i use Avast for antivirus, but Zone Alarm for firewall. Are there any decent open-source firewalls out there which would allow me to move away from Zone Alarm completely? ---
**Author:** ![OttoDaFe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ottodafe/32/356_2.png) [@OttoDaFe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OttoDaFe)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2011, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zone-alarm-has-jumped-the-shark/602765/16 "2011-11-14T13:50:06Z")
> [@Wallenstein](#): > > i use Avast for antivirus, but Zone Alarm for firewall. Are there any decent open-source firewalls out there which would allow me to move away from Zone Alarm completely? Not sure if any of [these](http://www.techsupportalert.com/content/probably-best-free-security-list-world.htm) are open-source (depending on your interpretation of the term), but the list is worth a look. ---
**Author:** ![GSV\_Consolation\_of\_Dreams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/f1d935/32.png) [@GSV\_Consolation\_of\_Dreams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GSV_Consolation_of_Dreams)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2011, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zone-alarm-has-jumped-the-shark/602765/17 "2011-11-14T13:57:06Z")
Microsoft Security Essentials is indeed very good for Virus and Malware protection. I suggest (and use myself) Comodo’s free firewall program. Much, much better than Zonealarm. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2011, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zone-alarm-has-jumped-the-shark/602765/18 "2011-11-14T13:57:41Z")
> [@Wallenstein](#): > > i use Avast for antivirus, but Zone Alarm for firewall. Are there any decent open-source firewalls out there which would allow me to move away from Zone Alarm completely? For any free software go [here](http://www.techsupportalert.com/). I don’t know why this isn’t universal knowledge. ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2011, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zone-alarm-has-jumped-the-shark/602765/19 "2011-11-14T17:13:37Z")
I am puzzled. I use Zone Alarm (free version), and I have never had any problems with it (well, apart from the fact that I had to reboot after it updated itself a few days ago, but, heck, Windows itself does that more often, as do lots of other programs). Very occasionally it pops up a window asking me to upgrade to the paid version, or something, but that clicks away easily. Otherwise I never even notice it is there, except for when Firefox or some other net-accessing program upgrades itself and needs new permission, i.e., when ZA is doing its job. ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2011, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zone-alarm-has-jumped-the-shark/602765/20 "2011-11-14T18:48:34Z")
> [@Mann\_Slaughter](#): > > I could be wrong, but I’m using MSE (installed it with Windows 7 after Avast Antivirus jumped the shark) and as far as I know it’s only for antivirus/antimalware. **It has never shown any active firewall properties, such as alerting me when an installed program is trying to access the Net, or my network.** That was my reason for using ZA in the first place. I’ve since switched to MSE and the Win 7-based firewall, but miss knowing when a program is trying to call home. There were lots of things that I hit ‘deny’ for when I was using ZA, but now have no idea how often programs tap into the Internet. Anything out there that would do this with a light footprint and without interfering with MSE? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zone-alarm-has-jumped-the-shark/602765.md?page=2)