AVG Antivirus - Low Price, Medium Performance
I need a new antivirus program. I've been using Norton 2003 for years and the 2001 version before that. Symantec has officially dropped the "2003" NAV engine from support, and I've installed and subsequently "dealt with" enough of the follow on versions ('04, '05, '06 and '07) for other people that, if I can avoid it, I'd just rather not let them around my computer. Norton AV has become a hog of computer power. I'm guessing that NAV programmers and testers all have high-powered state of the art computers and, thus, little view of the real-world personal computing environment.
Norton: too demanding and degrading to computer performance. McAfee has become a lot worse than Norton. Need a new antivirus program. After years of being loyal to these two, I'm forced by them to give up and try out the other AV players.
Downloaded "AVG Antivirus" for a 30-day trial of their paid version. I didn't take the free version because word-ol-mouth already told me that it "wasn't as good" (that is, as reliable at finding malware) as the paid version. Of course "free" is a great price and not to be ignored on hearsay alone, but if the paid version of AVG works OK then it must be noted that the price for it is not just fair but it is a lot better than the other players in the market.
Based on what it says at the AVG website, the functional differences between the free version and the single-system paid version are minimal, but enough to make me decide to go for the paid one -- if it works out during the 30 day test.
I've always switched back and forth between McAfee and Norton antivirus offerings from back before there was a critical requirement for a resident antivirus program. Norton was the first resident one that I used, but the next year or so I switched to McAfee for no reason other than it was the first to appear before me when I needed it. The performance difference between that McAfee and the Norton was so different, though, that I made note of it and started paying attention.
So this is what I'm talking about when I say "performance" in the context of antivirus programs. I have to rely on them or the more scientific reviewers to tell me if they're really getting the viruses and malware out of my computer. For me, I can say if it seems like the antivirus program is dragging down the performance of my computer or if it's being an irritating, interrupting hindrance to me.
Downloading and installation of the AVG trial mostly went OK. Less intrusive than multiple-restart forcing Norton Antivirus 2006, and tons better than the "I live to irritate" constant performance-sapping, intruding, announcing, alerting, giant-meanlingless-window-of-scariness that McAfee antivirus has become.
(Aside: "Norton" is just about as bad as McAfee now so don't get all gloating and stuff, Symantec. You both are forgetting your real jobs and becoming such an irritant and such performance hogs that the only things keeping both you and McAfee safe in the market is fear of viruses and your momentum of market share. Better start shaping up or AVG and Microsoft are going to clean your clocks.)
After installing it, it took a little while to figure out the settings for AVG. The interface isn't complicated, but it is complex. Lots of places to go and lots of detailed lists of checkboxes and lots of arcane concepts or just plain goofy jargon. AVG needs to run their interface by a few humans and take some notes.
This AVG package is just antivirus and antispyware and that's it. There are package versions with extras for firewall and "internet security blanket" or something like that, but I've grown weary and leary of those because of Norton and McAfee and, now, Microsoft's scammy trial software called something like "Live By The Short Ones". I expressly chose the antivirus-only package.
This trial hasn't been troubling but it hasn't been a love fest either. AVG is going to remain on my personal list of candidates for a new full-time and recommendable antivirus program, but I'm going to go on a try some others first.
I never noticed it "dragging" on my machine. In fact I don't think that I ever turned it off during downloads as has become a habit with Norton AV and a requirement with McAfee AV.
AVG doesn't drag down my machine, but it is too arcane to recommend to real humans to use. It does seem to do well at protecting my computer without being an irritating "look at me" popper-upper like the Norton's and the (oh-moi-gahwd would you pleeeeze shut up) McAfee's. Not great enough to make me stop looking but definitely staying on the list of candidates.
