[SEL] <snip>Now Antivirus and O.T.

[cgandree at mchsi.com]

Hey Jerry give the Wizard of OZ (Peter Lowe) a shout, he teachs comptuer science classes and uses AVG, maybe he can help you off list.
Curt Andree
-------------- Original message from Jerry Evans <jerrye at databak.co.za>: -------------- 


> At 08:57 PM 07/10/2009, you wrote: 
> >Errr... given that Windows 1 came out in 1985 
> > 
> 
> Hi Guys 'n Gals, 
> Prepare for one of those "long posts" that I'm known for. (There 
> is always the "Delete" key - bottom right on your keyboard.) 
> 
> Seeing as that the topic is steering toward antivirus software 
> maybe some of you could give me a few pointers. 
> 
> The computer that I use to connect to the net with is a 4 year old 
> Acer laptop and only has a "Celeron" processor (1733 Mhz with only 512 
> Mbytes memory - running Win XP Service Pack 3 with all the updates.) 
> Yes, I do know that it is a "shitty" little computer but for now 
> it has to do. 
> 
> I've always been very aware and "up to date" on viruses (virii ?) 
> and used "Norton Antivirus" for many years but, a few years ago when I was 
> still on dialup, the Norton updates became just too big (more than 10 
> Mbytes) for a dialup connection and I installed "AVG Free". (I do not use 
> Microsoft's Firewall or Antivirus.) 
> 
> AVG worked very well for me but then they brought out ver.7 (I 
> think) and now with updates I'm on ver. 8.5.420. 
> This damn programme has now spoilt all my "computer fun". It is a 
> total "memory hog". 
> When I start up each morning the darn computer is useless for 
> about 10 minutes while AVG "does it's stuff". (In "Task Manager", 
> "performance" is "red lined" all this time and under "Processes" I can see 
> that it is AVG (and their "add on" - TeaTimer) that is hogging all my 
> resources) This "hogging of resources" is so bad that, if I open "Notepad" 
> (for example) and type a letter it takes about 5 seconds for the "letter" 
> to show on the screen. 
> The next problem is that the "f%#*g" programme decides to run it's 
> daily scan and updates at 5:00pm every day - I change this often but the 
> next automatic update always "resets" it to 5:00 "f%#*g" pm. AVG seems to 
> think that all it's users are imbecilic idiots and, no matter what they 
> want everything is reset to what AVG's "f%#*g" 
> programmers deem best. 
> On this computer that "scan" takes about 2 hours and in that time 
> (usually about time to check if the new "SEL" digest has arrived :-)). the 
> computer is totally useless - AVG is hogging everything. (I do know that I 
> can set "Scan Options" in case you are wondering). 
> Other problems that I experience (on this computer) are: 
> i) When saving a file using the "save as" command the windows 
> "save as - pop up" box takes ages to reach the stage where I can click on a 
> folder or directory - I suspect/assume that this is while "f%#*g" AVG makes 
> sure that I'm not opening a folder that has a virus in it - it seems to 
> scan the whole disk first instead of letting me choose a folder and then 
> only scanning that folder. After all, AVG has (previously) scanned 
> everything on my computer, why should it now waste all this (my) time just 
> to ensure that there is not a virus anywhere. 
> ii) I used to have a problem with it's "f%#*g" email checking as 
> well but managed to disable that some time back. My ISP (as I'm sure many 
> others have) has a pretty good prog to sort out all the "nasty" email. 
> 
> O.K. those are my gripes - now for some answers from you guys. 
> Please note that I'm looking for "constructive" answers from knowledgeable 
> people. If you want to post an answer then please give reasons for your 
> recommendation based on my post above. I'd really like to hear your reasons 
> as to why I should change to "such and such" an Antivirus programme. 
> It has been recommended that I change to "Panda" or "Avast" but 
> nobody has given reasons. 
> Paul mentioned Microsoft and gave good reasons but I'm 
> "Anti-Microsoft" (Hi Rob & Kelley - no I cannot change to Mac at this time 
> :-)) - should I lower my expectations and go for Microsoft and why ? 
> 
> All I want is a programme that does not consider me to be an 
> idiot. I want to be able to tell this programme what I (THE USER) would 
> like it to do - not what the "f%#*g" programmer thinks I need and, if I 
> tell it to do "so and so" I do not want it to "reset" to what the "f%#*g" 
> programmer feels is best for me on every update. 
> I also do not want it to hog all my resources while it is doing 
> it's job. 
> 
> I'm keeping an open mind here and asking for advice from guys who 
> know what "it's all about". 
> 
> FWIW - I have not had a virus on any of my computers for many 
> years - I put that down to "common sense" more than my choice of "Antivirus 
> Software". 
> 
> I've also been "connected" since the days of "Bulletin Boards" - 
> about 1991 - not as long as Paul but certainly not a "newbie" to the Internet. 
> 
> Hey Paul, I used to use "PC Tools" long before "Norton Commander" 
> and Symantec arrived on the scene. My first "computer" was a "Sinclair" - I 
> think it had the magnificent total of 1 Kbyte of memory before they brought 
> out the next version which had (again, I think) the magnificent total of 64 
> Kbytes of memory. That was a long time ago - now my engines are far more 
> important to me :-) 
> The first virus I got was "Stoned" I'm sure you remember it! At 
> the time I was seriously stressed about it but, by todays standards it was 
> harmless. There were no "Antivirus Programmes" in those days. I often 
> wonder if the "Antivirus" vendors are not the guys who write the viruses in 
> the first place. 
> All for now, thanks to all who have read this far before hitting 
> the "delete" key. 
> 
> Keep the revs up (or down) 
> Jerry Evans 
> Near Johannesburg in Sunny South Africa. 
> Etched Brass Engine Plates made to order: 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
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