Do you really have to pay for new virus definitions?
 

Or can you get 'em for free?

thanks for your responses

If you get AVG antivirus, the virus definitions are 100% free. Also, AVG is the best antivirus I have ever come across. It picked up 3 viruses that Norton and MacAfee didn't.

http://www.grisoft.com/html/us_downl...514c43d36#FREE

worm
 

found a worm on my system too :eek: :eek:

thanks for the tip

I use AVG and am very happy with it.

i also use AVG, IMO is much better than Norton Anti-virus, also AVG has free virus definitions for download almost ever 1 week

If you are using norton, one trick which works surprisingly well is to download the definitions from their website, then change the date of your comp using a program called 'datehack', to a date prior to the expiration of your definitions subscription, run the new definitions file then change the date back. Easy as pie.

I've heard the Norton is going to switch to a registration scheme similar to Windows XP where by the software uploads a hardware profile to the server which will prevent using the same copy on more than one pc.

it's called capitalism and free enterprise...

it's also called "how to make a lot MORE money from people that buy our crappy programs"

I also use AVG and have found it to be as good as any of the commercial software...

I just re-register Norton every year. I have had free definitions for 3 years now.

I just reinstall my copy of Norton every year. It's too much bother to register to me. It seems to work. Either that or my computer became immune to virii after the first year ;)

I use AVG also. I does a good job, esspecailly at the price. :)

AVG sounds like it's pretty good according to all of you, but are you guys using the free or paid versions?

I've heard recently that AVG is considering charging for their anti-virus software. They use the free version to convince commercial users to switch to their pay version. The results haven't been the best so the rumor is that the free days are coming to an end.

There is a new "free" one out there just in case. I've heard some good things about it. It's at http://www.avast.com/. So if AVG does decide to charge you may want to keep this link handy.

If you can live with out autoupdates in norton AV you can go to their web site and download an ~3mb file which contains the latest definitions. When installing it remember to roll back your clock to before your subscription expired

I believe that, starting with NAV 2002, uninstalling and reinstalling it would no longer work. At least it didn't for me.

Think about it though, even if AVG didn't exist, usn't the 40 bux or so for Norton not worth it? How long does it take to recover from a virus? How much is your data and pr0n worth to you?

However, I think it should be built into the OS. Imagine how many less virus outbreaks we would have if everyone was forced to run AV software.

/rant

this has been a great post. my McAffee just expired and i was looking for some new virus checkers, AVG seems to be working great.

If any of you guys are in college, most colleges give out free 12 month Norton Antivirus subscriptions for free...something to think about if you use that program.

I got a ton of stuff from my college for free including WinXP, Office XP Professional, aforementioned NAV, as well as a few others I forget at the moment.

Starting in Version 2002, Norton confirmed that you were registered. I have version 2001. :D

i'm with Panopticon. my school has a site license for nav and i installed a copy over the network two years ago. it hasn't bitched to me about registration or paying for definitions yet.

I am definitely gonna give these other guys a try. I cannot stand Norton. Ever tried dealing with their customer service? The entire company is built around zero interaction. Which would be fine if their stupid Digital River lifetime download service actually frickin worked.

There is a technical term for norton users.... infected.

It is only as good as its .dat file. Zero heuristic functions. Any new variants of known virii, even slightly modified, will go undetected.

rather than rely on virus checkers, why not simply not get viruses?

When someone you don't know sends you a .vb file claiming to be the newest anna kournikova sex videos, don't open it...how bout that? :P

heh. that, too. use norton's, myself. got a fun little replacement file for it somewhere or other on the net, which lets me get free virus def. updates til sometime in the mid 2030s or so.

another great thing about the free AVG is the
auto update feature...I have mine set to download and
update every 14 days...caught two worms in my email
this week...

I sue norton, and every few days it updates automatically. With other virus scanners, i use to get a worm or two a month, but havn't had one if forever. :)

AVG is great if you don't want to pay for norton.

I've got NAV 2003 Pro. Reinstalling does work with it. Never had a virus with it, so I'm happy.

Thanks for the link to AVG, just reinstalling a friends Norton for a few years, ill give AVG a shot though, see what turns up

AVG rules. Free and I agree better than Norton IMO.

I've used both the 'Pro' and 'Free' versions of AVG. Both rock.
I don't have a problem paying for good software, but I do have a problem with paying for maintenance to that product. Sorry Norton.

i read this post and tried AVG, and it works great. price is right and its easier than McAffee

I love AVG to the point that if they made me pay, I gladly would.

BTW, I've used both Norton and McAffey, and I still think AVG rules.

We use Norton Corporate edition so getting definitions isn't a problem. Our mac users just reinstall once a year or so. No problems reported to us.

I use TrendMicro PC-Cillin...... works really good, never had a virus, and its also got a firewall built-in......

I swear by norton. If you MUST get the defs. for free then you have to completdly uninstall Norton AntiVirus and then re-install it to get another year for free. I don't think it is worth it, as it really ends up taking an hour+ to be sure you got rid of it all and to reinstall, and then go through several reboots while it rebuilds your defs etc. It is either $11 or $17 for a whole year. You want to spend an hour and a half of no fun to save $17 a year? Maybe you shouldn't own a computer.

daoist: You really shouldn't be giving out that bad advise. "when someone you don't know" Is totally wrong. The bad file attachment (which I agree no one should open anyway) comes it is almost ALWAYS from someone you DO know, and where you are in their address book or it mined emails, etc. for your address. Almost all virus/trojans spoof the from line now. The best IMHO is a $79 on sale router/firewall Lynksys from Bestbuy along with Norton. Works for me ...

They still have those? Haven't seen one of those virus things for awhile :)