Comments on: Easy and Brilliant Antivirus Software For Writers

By: Anne

Anne — Wed, 24 Aug 2011 15:53:11 +0000

re nod32… just checked all the links and didn’t get the warning. Not sure why you did, but I’ve been using the software for almost two years now with no problem what-so-ever.

By: Anne

Anne — Wed, 24 Aug 2011 15:50:59 +0000

I used nortons and/or mcafee for years… now they are both hugly bloated and slow down performance. My computer speeded up when I switched from norton to nod 32

By: Gwynneth

Gwynneth — Wed, 24 Aug 2011 12:04:03 +0000

Addendum to post below: I clicked on the NOD link above and was treated to a HUGE warning sign in red, courtesy of WOT! Not going there. Re: Avast: I used that too and found it substandard. Any free product is unlikely to do all that you need. If I were to go with something free, it would be Comodo. They provide a firewall as well as an anti-virus suite for free. This is good, since Microsoft’s firewall is not the greatest.

By: Gwynneth

Gwynneth — Wed, 24 Aug 2011 11:57:36 +0000

Sorry to disagree, but after using AVG for a few years and having it NOT catch some very nasty Trojan sub-7′s and a Klez worm, and disabling TWO computers, I switched to Norton Internet Security with my new computer.

My ONLY problem with it so far has been that it missed a Trojan dowloaded via my son’s Microsoft Zune MP3 player! After performing a system recovery, I had to call Norton to get back the days I had left on my subscription (it had set it back to the “Trial” period of 60 days, by default). The tech support people were incredibly patient and helpful, and since then, I have had no problems.

My son has Norton 360 on his laptop, scans daily (overkill, but better than his former ways!) and has no infections either.

I also supplement Norton with Windows Malicious Software Removal tool, and Firefox add-ons (essential!): N0Script (prevents “clickjacking”), Request Policy, Ghostery (blocks tracking cookies) and both Cookie Culler and “Beef Taco”, that block and clear all types of cookies, including LSO and flash ones.

Another excellent add-on is WOT, which uses reports on site safety to notify you before you click on a site. These are essential because NO anti-virus software can stand up alone against all the malware out there!

By: annew

annew — Fri, 12 Aug 2011 15:53:54 +0000

Yeah, Nod32 not only updates itself without me but if there’s a problem it lets me know, it also let’s me know if my most recent windoz updated hasn’t worked. Good program, truly.

By: Elizabeth West

Elizabeth West — Fri, 12 Aug 2011 02:13:19 +0000

I’m using Avast right now, and Malwarebytes. They seem to work pretty well but like Robert said, the free versions don’t auto-update. I try to run them once a week just to maintain things.
Elizabeth West recently posted..Vocabulary: Kickin’ Letter K

By: Anne

Anne — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 21:57:37 +0000

Hi Robert, I ran the AVG program for a long time, then disaster struck… as I said in my review, I trust Leo Laporte and the NOD32 is so much less resource intensive than any of the big brands – it’s been working well for me for over two years now. And picking up the malware stuff too. Auto update is something I’ve come to like even though I don’t exactly approve of it.

By: Robert

Robert — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 17:46:35 +0000

Personally, being a part time writer and full time computer and network professional I never use a suite. Those are the programs that gunk up you system and you can never fully uninstall them either. I like Leo too, but I don’t like anything that has to do with a suite.

I use two programs that are absolutely FREE and I have been virus free for more than seven years.
The first product is the antivirus program AVG.
http://www.avg.com/us-en/buyav-ppc_1?ctype=ppc_us_gs_0002_buyav_1&wm_crID=5784253&wm_lpID=31420909&wm_ctID=383&wm_kwID=16989481&wm_mtID=3&wm_content=0&wm_g_crID=7342142222&wm_g_kw=AVG+free&wm_g_pcmt=&wm_g_cnt=0&wm_kw=AVG+free&wm_sd=1

There is a paid version too, but that is the suite…

The second is a malware protection program called Malwarebytes.
http://shop.malwarebytes.org/lpa/342/3/7268/index_b.html?_kk=malwarebytes&_kt=77dafa20-d875-4e0a-b98a-54dc2c93bd02&gclid=CMa-o8j-kqoCFYHs7QodbBvOxQ

There is a paid version of this as well and I have that. The only difference between the paid version and free version is that the free version you have to update manually by clicking update, versus, it being set to download and update by with no further input from you.
And I don’t get anything back from purchase. Hope this helps those with a little less money and still wants great protection.

By: Anne

Anne — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 14:08:59 +0000

I’ve never had that sort of problem with Norton’s, but I’m sure glad to be shed of it.

By: jorgekafkazar

jorgekafkazar — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 03:53:12 +0000

I had a failed installation of Norton about 7 years ago, and I'll never, ever let any Norton product be installed on my machines. I got numerous error messages telling me to uninstall & reinstall Norton AV. I tried that again and again, but it wouldn't uninstall 100%, and it wouldn't install, either. They wanted a credit card number to use their help desk, which I didn't want to give out. I found a patch program to help uninstall, but it didn't work completely. I finally found a 3rd party patch that let me really uninstall the program. Needless to say, I never reinstalled it, once I succeeded in getting it off. It had already caused me more trouble than any virus I've encountered. I had major registry problems later that I attribute to the failed installation. I got a new system, eventually. I use Avira now, and I've used AVG, too. .-= jorgekafkazar´s last blog ..Stranded in Mexico =-.