AVG vs Avira or another free antivirus?

[Gina Serino]

Regarding free antivirus programs - Would you recommend AVG or Avira & if so, why? I'm uninstalling Avast from someone's laptop who is tech challenged (and w/limited funds) after I realized it requires you to register an email address & create an account within 30 days. The software is then only free for one year after which you would need to uninstall/reinstall & create a new account for it to remain free (laptop would then boomerang back to me to "fix" again). Would appreciate free antivirus suggestions. I have not had much luck w/only MSE and I don't want to see this laptop again in the near future. It had so much crap on it that that it was practically crying when it was given to me to "fix". : )
Thanks for any and all suggestions!

 

[Pinhedd]

the best anti-virus is a smart user.

Advise your customer not to install things that he or she receives in his or her email, and not to install things that aren't from trusted sources. Furthermore, make sure that they understand that 95% of all attack vectors used by malware to infect computers is the result of users doing things that they shouldn't be doing. Most malware needs the permission of the user to do any real damage, even if that means masking itself as something else.

Failing that, I've heard that AVG is rather decent.

 

[mauller07]

use avg or comodo.

stay away from avira its a horrid system hog and mse has started to become a system hog and become rubbish lately.

 

[Gina Serino]

the best anti-virus is a smart user.

Advise your customer not to install things that he or she receives in his or her email, and not to install things that aren't from trusted sources. Furthermore, make sure that they understand that 95% of all attack vectors used by malware to infect computers is the result of users doing things that they shouldn't be doing. Most malware needs the permission of the user to do any real damage, even if that means masking itself as something else.

Failing that, I've heard that AVG is rather decent.

That would be the normal approach with another user. Unfortunately, this user, in additional to being tech challenged, makes it challenging to explain unfamiliar things w/o unintentionally frustrating and discouraging them from using the computer to (safely) explore & enrich their lives. I, of course, will once again explain the perils of surfing into the unknown but it will not be completely understood or remembered. A occasional favor of clean up and this time consuming reformat is one thing but I can't purchase software for others who can't afford it. Of all the free antiviruses out I hoped one rated better than the others. I have not personally relied on one for a very long time. Heavy sigh.

 

[Gina Serino]

the best anti-virus is a smart user.

Advise your customer not to install things that he or she receives in his or her email, and not to install things that aren't from trusted sources. Furthermore, make sure that they understand that 95% of all attack vectors used by malware to infect computers is the result of users doing things that they shouldn't be doing. Most malware needs the permission of the user to do any real damage, even if that means masking itself as something else.

Failing that, I've heard that AVG is rather decent.

That would be the normal approach with another user. Unfortunately, this user, in additional to being tech challenged, makes it challenging to explain unfamiliar things w/o unintentionally frustrating and discouraging them from using the computer to (safely) explore & enrich their lives. I, of course, will once again explain the perils of surfing into the unknown but it will not be completely understood or remembered. A occasional favor of clean up and this time consuming reformat is one thing but I can't purchase software for others who can't afford it. Of all the free antiviruses out I hoped one rated better than the others. I have not personally relied on one for a very long time. Heavy sigh.

 

[Gina Serino]

the best anti-virus is a smart user.

Advise your customer not to install things that he or she receives in his or her email, and not to install things that aren't from trusted sources. Furthermore, make sure that they understand that 95% of all attack vectors used by malware to infect computers is the result of users doing things that they shouldn't be doing. Most malware needs the permission of the user to do any real damage, even if that means masking itself as something else.

Failing that, I've heard that AVG is rather decent.

That would be the normal approach with another user. Unfortunately, this user, in additional to being tech challenged, makes it challenging to explain unfamiliar things w/o unintentionally frustrating and discouraging them from using the computer to (safely) explore & enrich their lives. I, of course, will once again explain the perils of surfing into the unknown but it will not be completely understood or remembered. A occasional favor of clean up and this time consuming reformat is one thing but I can't purchase software for others who can't afford it. Of all the free antiviruses out I hoped one rated better than the others. I have not personally relied on one for a very long time. Heavy sigh.

 

[Gina Serino]

the best anti-virus is a smart user.

Advise your customer not to install things that he or she receives in his or her email, and not to install things that aren't from trusted sources. Furthermore, make sure that they understand that 95% of all attack vectors used by malware to infect computers is the result of users doing things that they shouldn't be doing. Most malware needs the permission of the user to do any real damage, even if that means masking itself as something else.

Failing that, I've heard that AVG is rather decent.

That would be the normal approach with another user. Unfortunately, this user, in additional to being tech challenged, makes it challenging to explain unfamiliar things w/o unintentionally frustrating and discouraging them from using the computer to (safely) explore & enrich their lives. I, of course, will once again explain the perils of surfing into the unknown but it will not be completely understood or remembered. A occasional favor of clean up and this time consuming reformat is one thing but I can't purchase software for others who can't afford it. Of all the free antiviruses out I hoped one rated better than the others. I have not personally relied on one for a very long time. Heavy sigh.

 

[Gina Serino]

the best anti-virus is a smart user.

Advise your customer not to install things that he or she receives in his or her email, and not to install things that aren't from trusted sources. Furthermore, make sure that they understand that 95% of all attack vectors used by malware to infect computers is the result of users doing things that they shouldn't be doing. Most malware needs the permission of the user to do any real damage, even if that means masking itself as something else.

Failing that, I've heard that AVG is rather decent.

That would be the normal approach with another user. Unfortunately, this user, in additional to being tech challenged, makes it challenging to explain unfamiliar things w/o unintentionally frustrating and discouraging them from using the computer to (safely) explore & enrich their lives. I, of course, will once again explain the perils of surfing into the unknown but it will not be completely understood or remembered. A occasional favor of clean up and this time consuming reformat is one thing but I can't purchase software for others who can't afford it. Of all the free antiviruses out I hoped one rated better than the others. I have not personally relied on one for a very long time. Heavy sigh.

 

[Gina Serino]

the best anti-virus is a smart user.

Advise your customer not to install things that he or she receives in his or her email, and not to install things that aren't from trusted sources. Furthermore, make sure that they understand that 95% of all attack vectors used by malware to infect computers is the result of users doing things that they shouldn't be doing. Most malware needs the permission of the user to do any real damage, even if that means masking itself as something else.

Failing that, I've heard that AVG is rather decent.

That would be the normal approach with another user. Unfortunately, this user, in additional to being tech challenged, makes it challenging to explain unfamiliar things w/o unintentionally frustrating and discouraging them from using the computer to (safely) explore & enrich their lives. I, of course, will once again explain the perils of surfing into the unknown but it will not be completely understood or remembered. A occasional favor of clean up and this time consuming reformat is one thing but I can't purchase software for others who can't afford it. Of all the free antiviruses out I hoped one rated better than the others. I have not personally relied on one for a very long time. Heavy sigh.

 

[Gina Serino]

the best anti-virus is a smart user.

Advise your customer not to install things that he or she receives in his or her email, and not to install things that aren't from trusted sources. Furthermore, make sure that they understand that 95% of all attack vectors used by malware to infect computers is the result of users doing things that they shouldn't be doing. Most malware needs the permission of the user to do any real damage, even if that means masking itself as something else.

Failing that, I've heard that AVG is rather decent.

That would be the normal approach with another user. Unfortunately, this user, in additional to being tech challenged, makes it challenging to explain unfamiliar things w/o unintentionally frustrating and discouraging them from using the computer to (safely) explore & enrich their lives. I, of course, will once again explain the perils of surfing into the unknown but it will not be completely understood or remembered. A occasional favor of clean up and this time consuming reformat is one thing but I can't purchase software for others who can't afford it. Of all the free antiviruses out I hoped one rated better than the others. I have not personally relied on one for a very long time. Heavy sigh.

 

[voodooking]

With people who are technochallenged I like to switch their DNS settings to OPEN DNS and just use the lite setting. It solves most if not all of their problems.

 

[Gina Serino]

With people who are technochallenged I like to switch their DNS settings to OPEN DNS and just use the lite setting. It solves most if not all of their problems.

Much thanks - I will look into this suggestion for another day w/this laptop. I was rushed to return the laptop so I rolled dice & installed AVG. They appeared confused & intimidated by the layout so I uninstalled it & instead went w/Avira. It was a quicker download & appeared light. But at least for now the laptop has some level of protection. Hopefully, I won't end up w/an icon for this laptop on my logmein screen. LOL!

 

[Pinhedd]

With people who are technochallenged I like to switch their DNS settings to OPEN DNS and just use the lite setting. It solves most if not all of their problems.

Much thanks - I will look into this suggestion for another day w/this laptop. I was rushed to return the laptop so I rolled dice & installed AVG. They appeared confused & intimidated by the layout so I uninstalled it & instead went w/Avira. It was a quicker download & appeared light. But at least for now the laptop has some level of protection. Hopefully, I won't end up w/an icon for this laptop on my logmein screen. LOL!

Confused by AVG? Well, best of luck!

 

[Dark Lord of Tech]

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