Antivirus vendors gone mad

[Nico@FMA]

Content source

http://blog.emsisoft.com/2015/01/17/has-the-antivirus-industry-gone-mad/

While this is a older news thing, i wanted to bring this to your attention specially because i have been flamed several times due to my critical notes about free anti mal/virware.
I have written extensive in this article (anti-virus-malware-myths-and-facts) about why not to use a free AV as compared to premium ones (Not saying FREE is bad as its better then nothing) I explained in many topics that nothing is for free and that you as a user pay probably more for using a free product then buying a full licence.

However fanboys of brand X and some people did argue that it was not true what i said about free antivirus and their shady marketing tactic's or in different topic's when both staff and other knowledgeable members posted critical notes there where always people claiming their free AV does a better job or did not resort to strange practices. Think about the many topic's about Asian brands and Comodo. Well this video is going to be a eye opener.
Enjoy and cheers.



Cheers guys

@Any staff this might be worth a sticky.

 

[Oxygen]

Though I generally see more PUPS in free software, but haven't seen that much in paid ones.

It's pretty annoying that they bundle stuff in that you don't even need, I would rather get the product that I intended to download and nothing else.

Even though I use a paid antivirus.... I just hate knowing that another vendor is using this practice in their free version.


That $2 per install could add up very quickly depending on how popular the given product is.


"Because when the product is free the real product is YOU." - That sounds like something Richard Stallman would say.

 

[comfortablynumb15]

Only fools believe they get something for nothing. The AV industry is like any other industry, nothing is without cost. Cheap or free physical products are either poorly made and won't last, or are completely useless. Web -related services and products that are too cheap to make any sense or completely free cost you in data collection or data theft. We make a choice to use them, nobody has ever put a gun to your head and said "Use Google/Avast/Facebook or die".

 

[Nico@FMA]

Only fools believe they get something for nothing. The AV industry is like any other industry, nothing is without cost. Cheap or free physical products are either poorly made and won't last, or are completely useless. Web -related services and products that are too cheap to make any sense or completely free cost you in data collection or data theft. We make a choice to use them, nobody has ever put a gun to your head and said "Use Google/Avast/Facebook or die".

Google does...lol

 

[comfortablynumb15]

No they don't, they're just an extremely easy target to complain about, lol. You can still use Bing, Yahoo, Yandex etc. Every search engine gets the same results, they just display, list and rank them differently. Some have more configurable search options. That's really all there is to it.

 

[Nico@FMA]

No they don't, they're just an extremely easy target to complain about, lol. You can still use Bing, Yahoo, Yandex etc. Every search engine gets the same results, they just display, list and rank them differently. Some have more configurable search options. That's really all there is to it.

Lol where do you think that some of the search engines get their search results from? Also being on the net you cannot avoid Google even if you wanted to. You physically never have to visit Google pages... Guess what they visit you.
Hence why i said Google does say use me or die (Aka stay of the net) as the moment you plugin your pc to the net you just have been Googled.
In regards to the search results is also not true, they might be similar but in most cases VERY different.
Simple fact.

 

[comfortablynumb15]

Oh sure you can, it's not easy, and not worth the hassle, but you can. However, what you don't give to Google, you'll give to the thousands of other international advertising and data agencies out there. But that's neither here nor there. The fact remains that if you use any free services or product, the payment is your data.

Also, Google got theirs elsewhere too, Excite, AltaVista, Lycos, Ask Jeeves, etc. Google just did it better as the web grew. Still does depending on who you ask. Still remains nobody is forcing anyone to use them

 

[comfortablynumb15]

Nope, all search results are the same, again, just displayed differently depending on many factors, including your specific search terms. You find the exact thing you're looking for on page 1 of Google, and page 3 of Bing, but they all display the same results. The only difference is when it comes to censorship and pornography.

 

[jackuars]

I don't mind being a product to someone, that's what we are being, even we buy products from someone else.

Being paranoid about privacy has no medicine. If you are careful enough during install and un-checking the various options, there's very little to be worried about. As a home user am entitled to be having a freeware antivirus.

What I don't really like, is how the paid antivirus vendors advertise their products as if freeware ones aren't good enough to protect you in your daily activities. A false sense of security.

 

[jamescv7]

Unfortunately that's the cycle some developers, if they choose to provide trialware then never create a free program where the trend make it very worst and annoying but the problem relies is advertising where they have no problem to make it as a garbage since money can generate in swift like a bullet.

I will still go to free version of AV if its not been disgusted by developers however at any case trial version should be fine and just conduct a snapshot for restoration.

Does antivirus vendors gone mad? Well actually not BUT they are happy to see you mad.

 

[Deleted member 178]

OMG !!!! i set up Facebook to send me sms to my phone !!!! i'm doomed !!! all my life will be recorded by fb and used against my will to create an army of zombies !

 

[illumination]

OMG !!!! i set up Facebook to send me sms to my phone !!!! i'm doomed !!! all my life will be recorded by fb and used against my will to create an army of zombies !

LOL, there for a minute, i thought this was one of those "OMG!!!" spam posts from Facebook that you copied and pasted

 

[comfortablynumb15]

Minus the zombies, you pretty much hit the nail square on the head for Facebook, lol. But, yet again, we choose to hit the join button, so, lol. AV companies, or any company really, will always point out missing "features" from their free offerings. That's not being shady or false advertising, that's just sound business practice. In some cases, they're actually correct. False advertising would be saying your product protects from 100% of all threats. It's an impossible claim and there will never be any point in the future where it will be true.

 

[Nico@FMA]

Minus the zombies, you pretty much hit the nail square on the head for Facebook, lol. But, yet again, we choose to hit the join button, so, lol. AV companies, or any company really, will always point out missing "features" from their free offerings. That's not being shady or false advertising, that's just sound business practice. In some cases, they're actually correct. False advertising would be saying your product protects from 100% of all threats. It's an impossible claim and there will never be any point in the future where it will be true.

You don't get it do you? Nevermind not going to bother.

 

[comfortablynumb15]

I'm not sure what you're trying to counter in my post, but you could do with a little less snarkiness about it. What exactly is your problem with my post?

 

[Janl92l]

I'm not sure what you're trying to counter in my post, but you could do with a little less snarkiness about it. What exactly is your problem with my post?

He often answer abit "arrogant". So dont wonder.

 

[comfortablynumb15]

I get a feeling I'm still being argued with over search engines, so why that particular post was quoted I don't know.

 

[Nico@FMA]

I'm not sure what you're trying to counter in my post, but you could do with a little less snarkiness about it. What exactly is your problem with my post?

Well you keep saying about AV brands and other companies not using shady tactic's and that you are free to choose if you can use them or not.
That's just not the case. If you need software, programs, utilities, services or anything provided by a third party then you are bound to whatever the developer or brand offers you. And the fact is that while free software is great you do pay with ur data and other stuff they might pull from you.
Granted one does it less forceful then others, yet as the video shows and the blog shows but also as its common knowledge on the net you as the end user have NO say. In regards to choosing to join Facebook and other online services some nations including my own by law force you to for example join linkin for job hunting purposes.
Also if you want to register on some sites and some online services you have to login with a openID or google authentication or some other third party services. In regards to Av programs claiming 99% detection which is also a marketing trick yet if they passed the VB100 test and the in the wild test then saying that they have 99% detection is actually accurate. Otherwise they would not have that certificate would they?
Its about "known" malware in the wild and NOT sample packs or MT tests with all respect.
You seem to forget that advertising and bundle software is a multi billion industry and its growing. It does not matter which AV brand you take they all specially if they are free the point is they make money of your ass using these tactic's as described above.
And if they not add stuff they certainly browse your online profile and use that for marketing reasons. Another thing is about programs putting a gun on your head use this or die.
There are thousands of programs that require you to have some sort of Av running or maintain some standard, not to mention can do it all packages that are packed with by a vendor chosen product list.
Sure you might be able to choose if you where to download it but in most cases if you do not download package A then in the end you will downloading package B.

Everywhere you go even if you run a bare windows without any third party program Windows itself will harvest your details and make money besides the fact you bought a key to make your windows legit.
So again i understand what you are saying but you are wrong on every account, and the many posts, blogs and news outlets proof that.
My question to you is why do you hold on to something that is just not true? Is this a personal opinion (Fine i respect that) but do not hold it for a fact here on a platform that is intended to teach and learn people as many people will get the wrong idea.

Thats my point, nothing sneaky and nothing disrespectful buddy.
@Umbra @BoraMurdar @exterminator20 << ask them!

Kind Regards Nico

 

[Nico@FMA]

He often answer abit "arrogant". So dont wonder.

I might come across arrogant and for that i am sorry, yet this is never the intention as everyone who knowns me will be able to tell you that i might be a asshole, but a humble and honest one.

 

[rocky]

I might come across arrogant and for that i am sorry, yet this is never the intention as everyone who knowns me will be able to tell you that i might be a asshole, but a humble and honest one.

Maybe direct thats all.