Hi,
My McAfee sub is about to expire and they're offering me 3 years for 139,95 €. Just wondering if I should renew it or go for the free (or paid - 44,95 € pa) AVG option.
I'm afraid I can't agree Brian. Linux has been around a long time and Unix pre dates Windows by a long way. For 90% of the stuff that 90% of people want to do Ubuntu with Open Office or similar is fine. Vista was a disaster, Windows 7 was stable but didn't really bring any new functionality and it looks as if Windows 8 with it's schizophrenic character isn't doing too well either. I don't really think Windows has much of a future. It is just expensive kludgy software layered on more kludgy software. I'd have no qualms recommending Ubuntu to any casual user and I'd even recommend it, under certain conditions, as a corporate desktop as well.
Thank you Theo and Brian
Thank you, Theo.
diana
The problem is that XP was the last good programme Windows had, since then there have been a series of plain disasters following each other.
Being conned by Windows into paying out heaps of dosh for a spiralling downwards quality every two years is either incompetence or rip-off.
Better option these days is from the Windows guys who spun-off to create Open Office - which is free, and bears lots of similarities to XP, plus is also now compatible with just about everything Windows charges for - including PowerPoint and Publisher, both of which are cornerstones to my activities.
Far from resisting change, I don't want to have to learn to drive every two years, for lesser performance. Techie I am not, and don't get my jollies from these changes. I do have WIndows 7 but that came inbuilt with the computer, and then they had the cheek to want to charge me for Word! Now it's all change to Windows 8 - and as far as I can see not an upgrade either.
Funny though I agree that Linux does take a bit of getting used to, and I never really settled with it but that was a few years back now, so my opinion is dated.
Finally It seems to me that you are geting plenty of work fixing Windows(?) sort of confirms what I am saying doesn't it?
Gordon you'll get there since you're on RAW. On Win 7 digikam is running really smooth so you can batchwork at ease. I even use RAW on such big "box" like the PhaseOne.
Brain, with Win 7 I was actually satisfied. The switch to Linux came b4 Win7 came out with all this anoying patchwork for XP. When mickeysoft is stopping with XP updates next your clients will hopefully respect your times off ;-)).
Thanks a lot for that Theo.
I don't shoot in JPG any more, only RAW, as the former limits editing (I beleive). I'm still very green when it comes to editing!
Microsoft OS with windows 7.
Thanks again for the info.
Gordon
I've forgotten this just in case your machine is already infected: Spybot Search & Destroy. Its free.
Brain, I agreed with you and would let customers live with mickysoft. I just prefer to be in control of what is going on with my machine. Its like with every thing in life: if you want to enjoy the comfort of being lazy to read a manual you pay. Thats it.
Gordon,
ha, coming from CS 3 which was using 2 Gig Ram, I was lost with GIMP. Now its so easy. Its just for editing. Gordon, assuming all you images are JPG you actually only have to overwrite the existing JPG (if you have the RAW you will need the UFRaw plug-in for Gimp.) You'll find it a bit below the other saving options. Just keep the RAW and start always from the beginning if you need the image again.
Don't know if your OS is Mickysoft or Linux, actually Digikam is working on both platforms, so you can batch convert all in one go and then upload directly from digikam instead using filezilla and all this.
bon courage ;-)
Personally I have used (free) AVAST for almost ten years now, and never a problem. Plus it is updated DAILY. I think renewing a key once a year is a very small price to pay for a very good system.
McAfee and Norton have working deals with Computer providers such as Acer, as they keep prodding away at me. Plus Windows provides the usual scare tactic occasionally that I am NOT fully covered. Rubbish - rather like most windows progarmmes these days - AND expensive.
Although Avast offer a Pro and paid version, I have never felt the need even with my business as opposed to personal activities. Highly recommended.
Carl, Thank you for that advice. So, in the morning - not now, as far too tired, will get rid of one of the anti virus progs. Which one do you advise that I should kill. Should it be the free MSE or the free AVG. French computer chap in local village / town says he prefers AVG but to be honest I prefer your opinion.....
Again, thank you for taking the time to reply and advise - its been really appreciated. What a great site with so many helpful users of this site. Thank you to everyone for making this such a great community site!
If you have more than one anti virus installed then it is very likely that the active shield from anti virus-A will regard the activities of anti virus-B as suspicious. It's how they work.
Often times with anti spyware programs like SUPER anti spyware and Spybot they will constantly mutter-on about how they have saved you form this and that and how terrible they are. Don't let it phase you. They like to make you feel like without their software you would be doomed. ;)
Most of the virused PC's (usually laptops nowdays) that I fix have paid-for Anti virus programs that have not been paid for this year and therefor stopped updating weeks ago. THAT is user-error :)
Go with which ever FREE AV product you like and just make sure it is actually updating.
If you are using a PC all day for work then see if there is a setting to make it update more often than the standard once a day.
If the AV product is set to scan at 3am and you turn your PC off at night change it to a time that works for you. (Microsoft security essentials will do both of the above silently in the background while you work)
Just remember that if you had got anything seriously dodgy in the virus department then both of your products would have flagged it.
Do yourself and get rid of one of then though.
Carl, Yes I would agree with you re using only one AV on one machine. However, I am using both MSE free and AVG free without any conflict -- that I am aware of anyway. Don't know however why there is no conflict?
"Servicepack 2 for Windows 7 costs 200 US$"
Who told you that??
Any anti virus product can and will let in a virus/trojan/malware if you are unlucky enough to happen upon the infected file before updated signatures come from the manufacturer.
Often when a new virus gets past an mainstream anti virus product it is just bad timing.
Using more than one anti virus product on the same machine has always been considered a very bad idea.
I would suggest picking just one product and going with that.
Ok! Brain if you would recommend Linux to costumers you would end up with more work, given the fact that reading manuals and help files is considered as "disturbing". Thats the crux in most enterprises as well.
But believe it or not, here in this little village I wanted to contribute a bit with my experiences and offered to the people of 50+ an introduction into Linux as they where totally computer illiterate. So, since 11.04 LTS, Ubuntu is really stable, and now some 70 years old are exchanging music with their grand children, mailing and chatting. Some functions in Linux are even easier, (e.g. videos) at least since 12.04 LTS. Well, and not so much hassle with AV progs, just a firewall. Someone who is working on DOS, instead UNIX, with images will only learn when the "pixel-scleroses" is eating slowly the family album.
Hi Theo
I've just started using GIMP recently. Find it good so far, though but pretty tricky to get used to. Do you know how to change pics from UNIX to JPEG for uploading the edited images to the stock sites that I use, who only accept JPEG or RAW images?
Thanks in advance
Gordon.
Hi Everyone, My first post to Survive France... what a great site - I am so glad I joined a little while back - it was recommended to me.
What a great subject, computer antivirus! I use both the free versions of Microsoft Security Essentials and AVG free. I always ensure I am updated. Used AVG free years ago and was always very pleased with it. Have a quick question here though for all you computer experts - please, can anyone explain to me - the other day I did a scan on AVG and it said all was fine so then, being a little distrustful having just cured a virus I picked up at end of last year when I was using only MSE but not AVG, I did another full scan on MSE and it identified trojans and other probs which it isolated and then removed. Why did AVG not pick it up but MSE did? Anyone know please and can explain in real layman's language as I am very confused with this. I should add that I had moments before logged onto a different (someone's home broadband) wireless network and so put the profile to home but then changed it immediately to public. Don't know if there is a connection with that or not? However, lucky I decided to do the scans on both as no probs now. Thanks for all (polite!) advice - I realise that my question may be a bit dumb as I am IT basic! Thanks.....