Norton 360

Duck wrote:
As the old wise man said, The best is not free.
Don

RV.net forums are free.

Just sayin' :B

NORTON was tops back in the day... Even the govt folks used NORTON and made it available for all govt employees. It worked very well for my various home computers but I got away from the govt and had to start paying hard cash for it I went with the FREEWARE.

Been using free programs like AVG, Advanced System Care, and Malwarebytes Anti-Malware ever since. No issues with these programs... Computers continue to run just like new...

Roy Ken

RJsfishin wrote:
But I won't go w/o saying,......the free ones are not out there to be nice to you and give you something for nothing. There ain't a free one out there that doesn't mess up your screen, begging you to upgrade to a paid version. I been down too many of them ugly roads,....never an issue w/ Norton.

I don't deny that the free antivirus programs are relentless in their pursuit of upgrading to their paid versions, but I gave up Norton years ago since it was such a system hog and have used AVG Free ever since and I have never gotten a virus on any of my systems. Once you understand the pitches to update, they are not a problem.

I also do some computer/network consulting and I ran across a new (to me) tactic of AVG's a few days ago. One of my clients had inadvertently installed a trial version of AVG Internet Security when she thought she was just upgrading and the trial period had run out and AVG quit working. I was in the process of doing the usual, uninstalling AVG Internet Security so I could install AVG Free Antivirus. When I tried to uninstall, AVG popped up a message saying that they were sorry to see me go and that they would uninstall AVG Internet Security and install AVG Free Antivirus automatically if I wanted. So I let them do it.

It's the first time I have seen this (and I have done the uninstall/re-install quite a few times for people) so it probably means they are seeing too many lost customers over the default AVG Internet Security option when a user tries to update AVG Free.

cdevidal wrote:

janstey58 wrote:
I've tried "free" and had virus issues. Norton all the way!!

I've tried Norton and had issues.
I've tried McAfee and had issues.
I've tried AVG and had issues.
I've tried Avast and had issues.
I've tried Bitdefender and had issues.
Etc.

No packages, free or paid, are 100%.

I used to clean malware professionally and where one package might work well on one type of malware it stinks on another. I once had a customer that I had to use eleven different malware cleaners on their system. (In retrospect, I wish I'd have just wiped their system and started over but sometimes you don't know that going in.)

That said, the free providers are motivated to upsell you to their paid software with more features. There's too much competition out there and they know they won't sell you paid software if the freebies won't clean the system at all. Thus you would expect the free versions to clean malware just as well as the paid versions, and this is precisely what the lab tests show. Paid software doesn't necessarily resist malware any better; It just has better/more features, or is required for business use.

What do I use? I went by PC Magazine's recommendations. I put on Bitdefender Free and Malwarebytes Free. Handles most everything that's out there. I use two because as mentioned, one has gaps that the other plugs, and vice-versa.

We have had similar experiences.
I 'clean' about 4 machines a month for people (for free) and I use two different virus cleaners and 2 different malware cleaners. I use "full enhanced trial stuff' then just un-install them when done and install a free version of each.

No matter what you buy or get none will do it all! So why pay?

A few of them are very intrusive, restrictive and embed themselves so deep you need special techniques to get them out.

Your habits in this open world likely determine the path you need.

downtheroad wrote:
Can't imagine paying for Virus-malware protection. There are a bunch of excellent FREE options out there.

x3

janstey58 wrote:
Your choice, risky in my book, sherlock62.

I go by current ratings / current reviews not by wise old men. :B

Your choice, risky in my book, sherlock62.

I use Trend Micro. 4 years now and zero issues. Now Microsoft and IE are another story best brought up on another thread.

Spare me... I go by current ratings / current reviews not by wise old men.:B

Good choice RJsfishin!