Is AV software necessary?

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.security_admin,microsoft.public.windowsxp.newusers (More info?)

"john" <john@nospam.uk> wrote in message
news😛an.2004.05.26.10.34.35.418768@nospam.uk...
> For some time I've been questioning the use of AV software. I work in IT
> support and I really couldn't count the number of perfectly good Windows
> installations I've seen borked by Norton AV or any of the other bloated
> virus suites. The performance hit from installing these things with
> always-on protection is lamentable, both in terms of boot up time and the
> general responsiveness of the OS, and for what?
>
> Thesedays, viruses spread faster than the AV companies could hope to
> spread updated virus definitions. So for a critical length of time, AV
> software is completely powerless to protect your system when any
> particular worm or virus is at its peak on the Internet.
>
> AV has disappeared from my home machines and - guess what? - no viruses.
> This is because
>
> (1) I login to the systems as a limited user, not the administrator
> (2) I don't open email attachments
> (3) I don't download, install or run software from disreputable websites
> (4) I don't use IE or OE - these programs are virus distribution clients
> (5) I use an ADSL firewall router and not an ADSL modem
>
> My opinion is that AV software fixes nothing that common sense couldn't
> fix. Common sense has the additional advantage that it doesn't turn my
> 512MB P4 system into a 64MB P2 with an endlessly grinding hard disk.
>
> Nevertheless, at work, I still have to deal with the endless problems
> caused by AV software. I still have to knowingly cripple nice, clean
> installations by installing Norton bloatware. I still have to mess around
> ensuring that the AV definitions are up-to-date, even though essentially
> they will always be out of date when it really matters.
>
> Is AV software necessary? IMO, no. It should be avoided like the plague.
>
My house hasn't burnt down yet; I make sure the gas cooker's off before
going out or to bed, and don't smoke ... but I'm not getting rid of my smoke
detectors just yet ...


---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.699 / Virus Database: 456 - Release Date: 04/06/2004

 

[pop]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.security_admin,microsoft.public.windowsxp.newusers (More info?)

AV software is NOT necessary, anymore than:

seat belts
telephone
underwear
safety helmets on the job
shoes
education
and a couple of other items. You can quite successfully
connect to an ISP at least one time without haven AV. If
you don't have a 'net connect, it might be even safer. But
it's NOT "necessary".

Pop

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.security_admin,microsoft.public.windowsxp.newusers (More info?)

What puzzles me is why the original poster thinks NAV has such awful effects
on the PCs he builds ... I have never heard that sort of feedback from
anyone else.
In my experience a sensible anti-virus policy is one of the first things any
sort of external information security or IT quality audit checks for. Those
guys have seen what happens if you ignore the basics, and anti-virus is
right up there with things like effective backups. What makes a home
environment any different? If anything, it is likely to pose greater
virus-related risks, because the PC is typically engaged in a wider range of
activity, and is typically communicating with a wide range of people with a
wide range of awareness of Internet security issues.
"Pop" <nobody@spamcop.net> wrote in message
news:u04vAJ9SEHA.2908@TK2MSFTNGP10.phx.gbl...
> AV software is NOT necessary, anymore than:
>
> seat belts
> telephone
> underwear
> safety helmets on the job
> shoes
> education
> and a couple of other items. You can quite successfully
> connect to an ISP at least one time without haven AV. If
> you don't have a 'net connect, it might be even safer. But
> it's NOT "necessary".
>
> Pop
>
>

 

[Unknown]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.security_admin,microsoft.public.windowsxp.newusers (More info?)

Tis unfortunate that you are now paranoid over viruses. This prevents you from
operating your computer without that garbage so you'll never see how great a
PC can be. And, you speak/write with emotion rather than fact.
"Pop" <nobody@spamcop.net> wrote in message
news:u04vAJ9SEHA.2908@TK2MSFTNGP10.phx.gbl...
> AV software is NOT necessary, anymore than:
>
> seat belts
> telephone
> underwear
> safety helmets on the job
> shoes
> education
> and a couple of other items. You can quite successfully
> connect to an ISP at least one time without haven AV. If
> you don't have a 'net connect, it might be even safer. But
> it's NOT "necessary".
>
> Pop
>
>

 

[pop]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.security_admin,microsoft.public.windowsxp.newusers (More info?)

LOL! Is that right? What're you doing, rewriting a
dictionary or something?

Pop

"Unknown" <Unknown@Somewhere.Kom> wrote in message
news:qMIwc.20481$eH1.9212584@newssvr28.news.prodigy.com...
> Tis unfortunate that you are now paranoid over viruses.
This prevents you from
> operating your computer without that garbage so you'll
never see how great a
> PC can be. And, you speak/write with emotion rather than
fact.
> "Pop" <nobody@spamcop.net> wrote in message
> news:u04vAJ9SEHA.2908@TK2MSFTNGP10.phx.gbl...
> > AV software is NOT necessary, anymore than:
> >
> > seat belts
> > telephone
> > underwear
> > safety helmets on the job
> > shoes
> > education
> > and a couple of other items. You can quite successfully
> > connect to an ISP at least one time without haven AV.
If
> > you don't have a 'net connect, it might be even safer.
But
> > it's NOT "necessary".
> >
> > Pop
> >
> >
>

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.security_admin,microsoft.public.windowsxp.newusers (More info?)

All AV programs stuff up some machines. McAfee and Norton are considered the worse. Whichever one stuffed up their machine is the one they hate.

--
----------------------------------------------------------
http://home.comcast.net/~wizardofwhimsy/index.html
"Mandy Shaw" <mandy.shaw@notability.com> wrote in message news:eQUvow9SEHA.3720@TK2MSFTNGP10.phx.gbl...
> What puzzles me is why the original poster thinks NAV has such awful effects
> on the PCs he builds ... I have never heard that sort of feedback from
> anyone else.
> In my experience a sensible anti-virus policy is one of the first things any
> sort of external information security or IT quality audit checks for. Those
> guys have seen what happens if you ignore the basics, and anti-virus is
> right up there with things like effective backups. What makes a home
> environment any different? If anything, it is likely to pose greater
> virus-related risks, because the PC is typically engaged in a wider range of
> activity, and is typically communicating with a wide range of people with a
> wide range of awareness of Internet security issues.
> "Pop" <nobody@spamcop.net> wrote in message
> news:u04vAJ9SEHA.2908@TK2MSFTNGP10.phx.gbl...
> > AV software is NOT necessary, anymore than:
> >
> > seat belts
> > telephone
> > underwear
> > safety helmets on the job
> > shoes
> > education
> > and a couple of other items. You can quite successfully
> > connect to an ISP at least one time without haven AV. If
> > you don't have a 'net connect, it might be even safer. But
> > it's NOT "necessary".
> >
> > Pop
> >
> >
>
>