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View Full Version : Sometimes free just aint worth it


DublinDoodah
02-12-2009, 02:13 PM
My subscription to Norton Antivirus expired a few weeks ago and, being a Roadrunner user, I decided to try the free security software (CA Internet Security Suite) offered on Roadrunner's site. OMG, what a big mistake.

Without boring everyone with the painful details I'll summarize my experience. It took a lot of fine tuning of the setup to eliminate the tons of false security alerts and to get my network devices to work correctly, it noticibly slowed the operation of my browser, and most importantly, I had to disable the firewall to visit this forum.:rolleyes:

The wife just bought a 3-user, 2-year subscription to Norton for $37 (perfect since we have 3 computers to maintain) and the difference is amazing: no setup adjustments, no obtrusive updates, no false alarms, and much faster browser. Also the scans are almost unnoticable.

I've learned that I can't afford free.

P.S. I've got no relationship with symantec and I'm not trying to claim it is the best security product. I'm just trying to warn anyone considering the free Roadrunner offering that it may not be to their liking.

mikegodwin
02-12-2009, 05:13 PM
I use "Avira AntiVir Personal - FREE Antivirus"

Never had a problem. It updates everyday and the free version opens a screen to tell you about it. I just close it. And it's free. I have had many friends that use Norton switch to Avira after Norton missed viruses that trashed their systems.

Just my :twocents:

http://www.free-av.com/

Thombil
02-12-2009, 06:41 PM
I've been using the free version from AVG for several years. Has worked ok for me so far.

Scott
02-12-2009, 11:11 PM
I use the home version (free) of Avast. Have been four 6 years, never had a problem.

festivus
02-13-2009, 08:48 AM
I too use the free version of Avast on all my PCs. A full scan takes forever to run but it seems to work pretty well.

rlw
02-13-2009, 11:39 AM
I use Avast and recommend it to my clients. I have for 4 or 5 years. @Festivus, as to the scan taking forever, you can enable a "screen saver" scan that runs any time your screen saver kicks in.

@DublinDoodah -- I'm happy to hear (and a bit surprised) that you like Norton. I should like it, as it causes me to spend more time troubleshooting my clients' systems, thus increasing my billable time. It drives me crazy, silently blocking access to network software I use for support. Also, any anti-virus, firewall, spybot-killer, floorwax/dessert topping software should have an easy-to-find "disable" function. Norton 2009 doesn't, as far as I can tell.

RLW

bspvette86
02-13-2009, 03:41 PM
I've been using the free version from AVG for several years. Has worked ok for me so far.

Ditto here on my home desktops. I am required to have Norton for work so I have it on my laptop as well as my home file server.

No problems with either AVG or Norton in their current versions.