Willis recent post “Modern Piracy” is the inspiration for the title, along with math challenged pirate marketing team. This in-your-face sales pitch to renew my Avast Antivirus popped up today on my desktop, but the piracy is in the math:
Gosh, should I really renew with a company that can’t offer sales incentives rooted in simple math? That 3 year plan is a real winner (for them) compared to annual renewal.
I think I’ll revert to the free version or use Microsoft’s free AV solution. Arrrrrr!
I use Microsoft Security Essentials & it works fine & it’s free. MS has all the tools you need built into Windows. There is no need for any 3rd party software for security or clean my PC software. They are all scams you don’t need.
Anthony, you need to do the supermarket shopping – and pay attention. Out our way a case of beer (24 cans) is almost always at least 50 cents more than two 12-packs. Same with rice, where 2 one pound packages can be much less than the two pound packages.
But that 10 cents a day rate for two years at 365 days a year = … 73.00 dollars!
Oopsie. That doesn’t work either. 8<)
Connect to Avast’s website on a PC that hasn’t previously visited and they will offer you the full AV for just $19.99 instead of $39.99
You could probably erase Avast from your registry as well and get the same result, though I haven’t tried that. I guess I will be trying that once my paid for version expires. I am happy to pay $20 or even £20 per year for an AV solution, but definitely no more.
In the UK Avast offer the product for £19.99 instead of $19.99 Welcome to rip off Britain as we call it here. Everyone everywhere rips us off.
Or just use linux instead.
Download Linux Mint and you don’t need any of this crap…..
REPLY: Except that I have many Windows only applications that won’t run on Linux, so I’d be throwing out software – Anthony
MS essentials is fine for me – in fact, I have discarded using the free Trend Micro (?) AV software from my Virginmedia BB supplier as it’s too slow!
Or, AVGFree, which has caused fewer headaches for me. YMMV
@MrMethane – AVG has caused me a lot fewer headaches as well. However, since my business is advising clients, I run both (different machines) so I can advise them. AVAST does not like VISTA. But it works fine on Android OS and XP.
I’ll just stick with the Avast free and AVG Free. They are as good as any pay for,
In the UK, bank with Barclays & get 3 x licences for Kaspersky free of charge. [Suitable for PC & Mac]
Try Superantispyware or Malwarebytes anti-malware. Both have very good free versions and the paid versions are cheaper.
Wow MS Freeware anti-virus, the complete fail solution has just been marked as completely insuffient again by two independant research services, one of them monitoring AV suits over 22 months… Obviously you have never looked into AV Software performance at all, but because you are unhappy wie the pricing of your personal choice product you post this Fail advice to the general public.
REPLY: Links to back up your claims always helps
here’s one of mine: http://dottech.org/14151/windows-best-free-antivirus-antimalware-program-microsoft-security-essentials-vs-avira-vs-avast-vs-avg/
– Anthony
You’d think it’d be the other way around for 3ys
Bobby Davis says:
December 30, 2012 at 9:49 am
I use Microsoft Security Essentials & it works fine & it’s free. MS has all the tools you need built into Windows. There is no need for any 3rd party software for security or clean my PC software. They are all scams you don’t need.
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The only anti virus that I use is the Microsoft Security Essentials that came with Vista. I almost hate relying soley on an MS product, but on the other hand, I don’t do the things that cause bad things to happen to my PCs.
Ten cents each, or two for a quarter.
Just to be contrary, you could consider that purchasing the 3-year subscription protects you against future price increases: You get to lock in an annual rate of $47/year. If Avast had plans to raise their rates to $99/year in 2015, you’d come out way ahead.
It works that way with mortgages and CDs: You pay more (or receive less) for a guaranteed price in the future.
Of course, Microsoft’s free Security Essentials is a far better solution. Or, spend $39 to upgrade to Windows 8, which includes its own internal anti-virus solution.
Stick with Avast Free and after a while they will re-offer it at $19.99
I used Avast free for several months and after a while I got a pop up offering me the full version for £19.99 (everyone rips off an Island nation), which met my target price and I paid for the full version. In Europe they offer it for €19.99 and in the US $19.99
Avast does have that boot time scanner which makes it better than anything else on the market.
Just stick with the free version till they re-offer it to you at $19.99
Stopped using Avast when it had too many false positives and several false negatives. in other words flagging up good files as bad whilst letting bad files run as it was saying they were good. Nowadays I just use Microsoft Security Essentials, after all who knows all the holes in their OS better than MS
Anthony,
Check with your ISP and see if they bundle a subscription to an anti virus package. I am on AT&T Uverse and McAfee is included with the service.
Avast free has worked very well for me on XP over several years. I tried the paid-for version of Avast Internet Security on my laptop (XP again) and it locked the machine. Uninstalled it and reverted to Avast free version and no problems since.
ohhh my just use kaspersky .. i buy last yrs at cut price normally £15 for 3pc’s and just update it .. works like a charm ..
Seriously, the Linux Mint suggestion was a good one.
I know you have some Windows only software. But, you can dual boot and you can even use the same data directories.
Use Linux for your web access and mail work.
Proprietary Windows software only under Windows – and there is even a chance it will run under WINE. I run plenty of things under WINE or DOSBOX.
Hmm, I have been very happy with Vipre, I have a single license for the whole family at a pretty decent price. It has never failed me thus far.
Anthony, you could always use Wine on Linux (although your mileage on that wil vary) or you could run Windows in a virtual box.
To you people on windows.
Get all your software here, the best, free and newest..
http://www.filehippo.com/