June 2, 2008

THE BEST ANTIVIRUS IS STILL FREE

I know that many of you use AVG Anti-virus.  This is a great free anti-virus for all non-commercial use systems.  It is also available for commercial use for a fee.  We have been using both the free edition and the server edition for many years.  We also use it to scan infected systems when they come in the door.  We have loaded it on systems with other anti-virus software installed (no names but VERY popular) and immediately after AVG finds a virus the other program pops up and says it found a virus too.  Anyway, it is a great inexpensive program.

Recently a new version of AVG has been released.  This is the second time in a couple of years AVG has done this.  I think it is very successful for them and that’s why we are seeing it again.  The process goes like this:  You install the free version and it runs silently in the background.  You rarely hear from it (unlike the VERY popular program).  Then one of the updates throws a pop up window in your face saying you must upgrade because this version is being phased out and will no longer receive updates.  It is vague and if you follow the directions blindly you will usually end up paying for the full blown version of the software.  As I said, this looks like a great way to generate revenue for them.  HOWEVER, you don’t have to pay.  It is still free.  You just have to download the newest free version and remove the old.  Of course the instructions don’t tell you that.

I don’t want to keep Grisoft (makers of AVG) from making money.  Heck, if they didn’t we couldn’t keep using the free stuff.  I just want all our customers to know the alternatives.  The full blown version is a great program as well.  It has many more anti-malware features than the free version.  But the free version has never done me wrong.

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