Anti-spyware Programs

landbeforetimelover · **on:** September 11, 2007, 07:19:28 AM

Okay, we all know about viruses and have sufficient virus protection and the hackers and bad guys know it. Spyware has become a bigger concern over the past few months for the most experienced computer users. I have tested many spyware applications and all of them (including AVG) have some sort of piece of crap protection program that slows down startup by up to 2 minutes on some of my older machines. These programs include Spyware doctor, espy pro, spyblaster, and many others that I can't remember. All of these applications took a long time to scan and they took up around 70% cpu at startup on computers I have with 2ghz and below. The best one I've found so far that doesn't do that that costs money is ashampoo antispyware 2.01. It was very efficient. Then I went on to go find some freeware applications to install on clients computers that were free(I don't wanna install either trials or illegal software on clients computers!). The best free one I could find was spybot search and destroy. It isn't as good as ashampoo, but it's free. It really makes startup slower by maybe 3 seconds. It's not that bad at all. I was just wondering what everyone else uses for spyware protection if any. I'm sure many of us are unprotected because when most people think of a computer having problems, their minds jump straight to viruses. Spyware is also a very big concern. It wasn't so bad a few years ago, but it's getting worse and worse...

So, what do you guys use?

Threehorn · **Reply #1 on:** September 11, 2007, 09:30:54 AM

Norton 2005 that what I been using all the time. no other anti-virus software. My Laptop runs fine with it and keep my computer very well protected, plus it came with the Laptop as a preprogram when I got it after the accient with the last laptop getting drunk with tea.

Manny Cav · **Reply #2 on:** September 11, 2007, 10:22:28 AM

I use Norton 2006.

DarkHououmon · **Reply #3 on:** September 11, 2007, 12:57:50 PM

Spybot, but I don't use it because the last time I did I erased everyone's favorites. o.O

Manny Cav · **Reply #4 on:** September 11, 2007, 04:00:43 PM

Quote from: DarkHououmon,Sep 11 2007 on 11:57 AM

Spybot, but I don't use it because the last time I did I erased everyone's favorites. o.O

Wait a minute! You use Spybot, but you don't use it? I'm confused.

:

DarkHououmon · **Reply #5 on:** September 11, 2007, 04:10:06 PM

I should rephrase. I used it once. And it's actually one of two anti-spyware programs we have. The other is AOL. I don't actually use it myself, though dad (or Clint) has it set on automatic scan or something.

landbeforetimelover · **Reply #6 on:** September 11, 2007, 06:06:43 PM

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Norton 2005 that what I been using all the time. no other anti-virus software.

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I use Norton 2006

I'm talking about anti-spyware applications not anti-virus! There's another thread by me about that. Or does norton have spyware protection now too? I wouldn't know for sure. I've stuck away from norton after it's screwed up so many computers of mine and it slows down your computer to crap. Not to mention that it never has up to date definitions. Even when you update, the updates are like a week old cuz all norton does is take the definitions from other anti-virus software after they've figured them out. Having a computer with a anti-virus system that's a week old is almost as bad as having none at all. <_<

Bottom line: stick away from norton. Even if your computer came with it for 2 years free, kill it. It sucks and you'll get infected for sure. AVG free edition is the best.

DarkHououmon · **Reply #7 on:** September 11, 2007, 06:08:56 PM

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landbeforetimelover · **Reply #8 on:** September 11, 2007, 06:11:21 PM

I'm just pointing out that in my professional opinion, Norton is an unnecessary risk, especially when you can get AVG for free. It would be one thing if Norton was the cheapest or something, but it's far from that and it's very dangerous to use, especially if you do a lot of downloading.

DarkHououmon · **Reply #9 on:** September 11, 2007, 06:16:49 PM

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landbeforetimelover · **Reply #10 on:** September 11, 2007, 06:21:08 PM

Norton has survived so long because they sell their program for about $2 to computer companies like Dell, Compaq, Emachines, and a whole lot of other computer companies and they install them on their computers before you buy them. If it wasn't for that, norton would be dead by now. Back in 1999, they got heavily sued by creating and sending out a virus to their customers just so they could cure it to make money. Norton has smart people working for it, but sadly, they don't put that intelligence into creating their software, the invest it into making a lot of money for themselves while screwing their customers over. <_<

DarkHououmon · **Reply #11 on:** September 11, 2007, 06:24:14 PM

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Manny Cav · **Reply #12 on:** September 11, 2007, 06:28:36 PM

Dear mercy. I've used Norton since I've ever had an internet connection. It has never messed up a computer and it has always wiped out viruses and spyware. I simply don't get the beef on why you don't like it. And where did you hear that they steal updates from other software and that other scam you posted? This is really surprising, since Norton has served me well over the years.

landbeforetimelover · **Reply #13 on:** September 11, 2007, 06:29:58 PM

I'll tell ya what. I'll send ya about maybe 20 harmless viruses that just came out a week ago and we'll just see how good norton handles it. I'll send them to you in a compressed archive. I'll bet ya that Norton might detect 1-3 of them. then go download avg free. It will detect all of them.

I already ran this test just yesterday and Norton detected 1/20 viruses. OUCH! That means that if Norton's you're only protection, you'd have 19 viruses running free in your system!

Norton will eventually detect them, but it takes as much as a week after they come out. That's pretty useless unless GOF is your only online activity. <_<

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This is really surprising, since Norton has served me well over the years.

that depends on how lucky you are and what you do online. I personally have terrible luck and I download gigabytes a day. I get over 25 viruses a day easy and avg takes care of them all. I had norton for about a month. It said I had no viruses. then I got avg for the first time. 114 viruses!

DarkHououmon · **Reply #14 on:** September 11, 2007, 06:31:09 PM

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landbeforetimelover · **Reply #15 on:** September 11, 2007, 06:34:49 PM

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Sending viruses is illegal no matter how harmless they are.

That's not correct. So long as you have permission, it's okay. Did you know that most freeware applications technically install harmless spyware, adware, and viruses onto your system? Firefox is a good example of this. It's in their user agreement when you go to install it. Once you say that you agree, they install the program and the virus/spyware

DarkHououmon · **Reply #16 on:** September 11, 2007, 06:35:58 PM

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Manny Cav · **Reply #17 on:** September 11, 2007, 06:36:10 PM

I'm not going to download any viruses.

landbeforetimelover · **Reply #18 on:** September 11, 2007, 06:39:23 PM

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No, sending viruses is *never* legal. Never.

Well, if that were the case, all the makers these freeware programs would be in the slammer. A virus is nothing but a simple program that tells your computer to do something. They're really not that complex as so many of us think. :^.^:

DarkHououmon · **Reply #19 on:** September 11, 2007, 06:43:09 PM

I might try to use Spybot again, though I'm a bit apprehensive to do so. I'm not even sure how I deleted favorites the last time. o.O I got into so much trouble for that.