Anti-Virus [AVG] write up

I have been telling people about AVG for more years than I care to remember. The "free" version is fine for most people. I thought you should read Bob Rankins take on this. I hope everyone has the new version 9 by now! If you would like this program check out http://www.download.com/ and it is in the middle of the page, half way down. Remember to UNINSTALL your other anti-virus programs before installing AVG Here is what it does:
AVG 9 ReviewCategory: Anti-Virus

AVG Technologies has been protecting computer users against viruses, spyware, and other malware since 1991. Its eponymous software, simply called "AVG" comes in a free version for personal "basic protection" use and a commercial version for "enhanced protection" use. The latest release is version 9. Let's take a look at AVG9 and see how it measures up to the security challenges looming online...
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AVG9 Anti-Virus Software
 It's hard to believe that AVG has been around for 18 years. In that time, they've built a solid reputation by offering quality anti-virus and anti-spyware solutions, including one of the most popular free security tools, AVG Free Edition, which they claim has been downloaded by 80 million users.
 So what's new in AVG Version 9? For starters, it scans a hard drive for malware up to 50 per cent faster than previous versions. This is a major improvement because scanning a large drive can easily take over an hour. Other improvements include a more streamlined user interface, although looking "under the hood" to see what AVG is doing remains a geeky exercise that most users will skip. The thing just works and that's all most of us wish to know.
 Indpendent tests indicate that AVG 9 does report some "false positives" - warnings of threats when there really are none - in some well-known programs and occasionally in image files. All security software makes such mistakes, and it's better to err on the side of caution than to let a true threat get past.
 AVG's LinkScanner technology, included in the free version, detects and warns you of potential phishing Web sites before you actually fetch their pages into your Web browser. This can prevent the automatic downloading of malware to your computer, and help you steer clear of sites that collect personal information for unauthorized purposes. Some people have complained that the link scanner slows down their web surfing, so if you notice a lag when searching or loading pages, there's an option to turn this feature off.
 The free version of AVG also includes email scanning to protect you against dangerous links and executable attachments in your email messages. Of course, anti-virus and anti-spyware protection are also in the free edition. And all versions of AVG 9 include basic anti-rootkit protection as well.
 AVG9 has not yet been tested by AV Comparatives, but the previous versions have fared well in these independent test results. AVG 8.5 scored an "Advanced" rating in the most recent test, performed in August 2009.
 What's in AVG 9 Commercial Edition?
What you don't get in the free edition are firewall protection that keeps snoopers from "seeing" your computer on the Internet; the highest-grade anti-rootkit technology that keeps the sneakiest rootkits out; anti-spam for your email; system tools for scheduling virus scans and other AVG behavior; free technical support (although there is a "free users forum" on AVG's Web site); and "game mode", which protects your computer while you're playing online games. You won't get identity theft "insurance", either, which is provided by a third-party service.
 You can test-drive these extra features in a 30-day trial of the paid version of AVG 9. Then you can decide which paid version you wish to purchase. The AVG Anti-Virus program costs $34.99 and includes all the extra features except system tools and identity theft protection. The AVG Internet Security version costs $54.99 and includes everything.
 AVG is a trusted name in the Internet security industry. Its performance is much speedier and less intrusive than many commercial packages that cost a lot more.


Have a protected day online all,
Cheers Stiffroot