AVG to flog your web browsing, search history from mid-October

Strider590

Robisere wrote: »

The real objection I have to AVG, is to the Paid, Pro version, which I used until 3 years ago. I am aware that the company is in different hands since then, but this was my experience:
"Rogue" search bars and malware introduced onto my computer, with AVG missing all of it. The same thing happened to other members of my family, so I reinstalled all operating systems and installed Bitdefender Total Security and malwarebytes, which does not conflict with any other AV/Internet Security products. (Some family members installed Kaspersky Pure instead), none of us have had any security problems since.

As has been said, there ain't no such thing as a free lunch. Any organisation with a product or service advertised as "Free" has overheads which have to be paid for somehow.

AVG is anti-virus, it's not supposed to stop rogue toolbars and malware. To be honest since criminals have realised there is more money to be made from malware, I think actual viruses are so rare now that I wonder what AV is actually for.

kwikbreaks

Strider590 wrote: »

I wonder what AV is actually for.

I think the AVG T&C change makes it pretty clear what their AV is for....

AndyPix

+1 to the above .. (from Strider)

AV's are mainly snake oil these days, you only need a basic one and a bit of common sense.
And these "free" ones are an absolute joke .. Resource hogging junk..

And now they want to sell your personal data !! Isnt that the kind of thing that the user specifically installs these things to stop !

Jog on AVG .. And the rest of you

If a machine ever comes my way for a fix, the very first thing I do is to uninstall this sh1te

/rant

Richie-from-the-Boro

AndyPix wrote: »

+1 to the above .. (from Strider)

AV's are mainly snake oil these days, you only need a basic one and a bit of common sense.
And these "free" ones are an absolute joke .. Resource hogging junk..

And now they want to sell your personal data !! Isnt that the kind of thing that the user specifically installs these things to stop !

Jog on AVG .. And the rest of you

If a machine ever comes my way for a fix, the very first thing I do is to uninstall this sh1te

/rant

I agree with you AndyPix, AV's and their accompanying PUPs are the problem not a solution ............

- top 10 Download's list these as favourites

- as I aid earlier they are all in the trough, windows after 8 did a good enough protection till 2 weeks ago
- "trough" = a channel used to convey, your personal info for someone else's gain

AndyPix

lol @ all those toolbars

Richie-from-the-Boro

Strider590, and others. Malware incidence in my opinion was mostly due to exploits left by MS in the O/S, in only 5 years a monumental explosion of so called 'homeware' anti-virus programs.


MS did get their act together and is now a close to the top 3 of all the worlds anti-virii protection league leaders [I posted in this forum somewhere a few months ago] my point then was that an MS O/S after Win7 alone was better than any freeware and as good as the paid for offerings.

AndyPix, I had 2 shops and have repaired many many thousands, that's bread a butter money that paid my staff and allowed me the luxury of doing charitable computer and networking for local organisations that would otherwise not be able to afford it paid for by those soddin toolbars and other bilge. Believe me I've seen a lot worse spawning PUPs than that the one I posted a pic of.

As of just a couple of weeks ago MS is of itself now one of the biggest grabber and seller of very private info. Any software or digital rights house prepared to pay MS to protect specific programs [for example Coral is already one of them] will get instant info on your individual IP and your individual machine.

AndyPix

^^ totally agree ..

More and more these days, you find this crap being bundled with stuff you actually want - and from some reputable companies too ..

Eg, the Java download at the moment has a pre-ticked box inviting you to "get the best of the web with a yahoo toolbar" (no thanks)

And the adobe reader install also has 2 pre-ticked boxes with some other guff they are trying to drive-by onto your machine.

The uneducated user would most likely fly past these boxes clicking yes and ok without realising what they are doing.

Disgraceful

bod1467

Unchecky