AVG / Avast [modified]
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It seems now that Grisoft has paid versions of AVG to sell they've embraced the dark side. I've been happily running their free version for years, but now it's starting to launch a web browser pointing to ads for their products on a fairly regular basis. Above and beyond the annoyance factor (and Vista doesn't care for this behavior at all), it's actually ironic that the software I use to protect me from viruses is now behaving like one. I know that many here think highly of Avast. Are they pulling this same sleazy tactic with their free version, or does it just sit quietly and do the job? [edit] Given the reaction by a number of people I respect to my characterization of this as "sleazy," I thought I'd clarify. I've always thought highly of the AVG folks, and my quarrel is not with their advertising to me. That's a perfectly fair tradeoff for a high quality free product. They have advertising in the product UI that I find very acceptable. What I object to is any program, theirs included, randomly launching unrequested programs on my computer, browser or otherwise. It has an invasive feel to it, and is simply a bit on the creepy side. So, to be specific, my issue is not that they're advertising, but rather the mechanism that they're using - one that looks and feels so much like a virus that many have asked me if I was sure it wasn't malware. With that said, I officially retract the sleazy comment, and I ascribe "creepy" not to AVG, but to the virus emulating mechanism itself. Fair is fair. :-D [/edit] -- modified at 16:40 Monday 26th November, 2007
Christopher Duncan Author of The Career Programmer and Unite the Tribes Coming soon: Got a career question? Ask the Attack Chihuahua! www.PracticalUSA.com
I've using the free version for years now and haven't seen any such pop ups. Are you sure you don't have some other malware?
Tech, life, family, faith: Give me a visit. I'm currently blogging about: To the Jew First (audio) The apostle Paul, modernly speaking: Epistles of Paul Judah Himango
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It seems now that Grisoft has paid versions of AVG to sell they've embraced the dark side. I've been happily running their free version for years, but now it's starting to launch a web browser pointing to ads for their products on a fairly regular basis. Above and beyond the annoyance factor (and Vista doesn't care for this behavior at all), it's actually ironic that the software I use to protect me from viruses is now behaving like one. I know that many here think highly of Avast. Are they pulling this same sleazy tactic with their free version, or does it just sit quietly and do the job? [edit] Given the reaction by a number of people I respect to my characterization of this as "sleazy," I thought I'd clarify. I've always thought highly of the AVG folks, and my quarrel is not with their advertising to me. That's a perfectly fair tradeoff for a high quality free product. They have advertising in the product UI that I find very acceptable. What I object to is any program, theirs included, randomly launching unrequested programs on my computer, browser or otherwise. It has an invasive feel to it, and is simply a bit on the creepy side. So, to be specific, my issue is not that they're advertising, but rather the mechanism that they're using - one that looks and feels so much like a virus that many have asked me if I was sure it wasn't malware. With that said, I officially retract the sleazy comment, and I ascribe "creepy" not to AVG, but to the virus emulating mechanism itself. Fair is fair. :-D [/edit] -- modified at 16:40 Monday 26th November, 2007
Christopher Duncan Author of The Career Programmer and Unite the Tribes Coming soon: Got a career question? Ask the Attack Chihuahua! www.PracticalUSA.com
I've been using Avast since moving to Vista - no ads or what not so far...
"On one of my cards it said I had to find temperatures lower than -8. The numbers I uncovered were -6 and -7 so I thought I had won, and so did the woman in the shop. But when she scanned the card the machine said I hadn't. "I phoned Camelot and they fobbed me off with some story that -6 is higher - not lower - than -8 but I'm not having it." -Tina Farrell, a 23 year old thicky from Levenshulme, Manchester.
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It seems now that Grisoft has paid versions of AVG to sell they've embraced the dark side. I've been happily running their free version for years, but now it's starting to launch a web browser pointing to ads for their products on a fairly regular basis. Above and beyond the annoyance factor (and Vista doesn't care for this behavior at all), it's actually ironic that the software I use to protect me from viruses is now behaving like one. I know that many here think highly of Avast. Are they pulling this same sleazy tactic with their free version, or does it just sit quietly and do the job? [edit] Given the reaction by a number of people I respect to my characterization of this as "sleazy," I thought I'd clarify. I've always thought highly of the AVG folks, and my quarrel is not with their advertising to me. That's a perfectly fair tradeoff for a high quality free product. They have advertising in the product UI that I find very acceptable. What I object to is any program, theirs included, randomly launching unrequested programs on my computer, browser or otherwise. It has an invasive feel to it, and is simply a bit on the creepy side. So, to be specific, my issue is not that they're advertising, but rather the mechanism that they're using - one that looks and feels so much like a virus that many have asked me if I was sure it wasn't malware. With that said, I officially retract the sleazy comment, and I ascribe "creepy" not to AVG, but to the virus emulating mechanism itself. Fair is fair. :-D [/edit] -- modified at 16:40 Monday 26th November, 2007
Christopher Duncan Author of The Career Programmer and Unite the Tribes Coming soon: Got a career question? Ask the Attack Chihuahua! www.PracticalUSA.com
nothing like that in avast. My only real complaint is that app updates require a boot to restart the scanner, and as of the last app release the notification message to do the update didn't have a working link in vista.
-- Help Stamp Out and Abolish Redundancy The preceding is courtesy of the Department of Unnecessarily Redundant Repetition Department.
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THOSE ARE NOT NEEDED BECAUSE WINDOWS VISTA HAS VIRUS PROTECTION!!! IF you are using a priating OS like XP or 2k then u deserve viruses. :mad::mad::mad:
Not really sure why you're yelling at me, nor do I understand what the term "priating" means. As to the wisdom of trusting exclusively to Microsoft's anti virus efforts, the answer seems sufficiently self evident as to preclude any further elaboration.
Christopher Duncan Author of The Career Programmer and Unite the Tribes Coming soon: Got a career question? Ask the Attack Chihuahua! www.PracticalUSA.com
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I've using the free version for years now and haven't seen any such pop ups. Are you sure you don't have some other malware?
Tech, life, family, faith: Give me a visit. I'm currently blogging about: To the Jew First (audio) The apostle Paul, modernly speaking: Epistles of Paul Judah Himango
In this day and age I don't think I could ever answer that question with complete assurance. However, given the other utilities that I periodically run coupled with the incriminating evidence of it pointing to a web page advertisement that is clearly on the Grisoft site, I think they're busted on this one. :)
Christopher Duncan Author of The Career Programmer and Unite the Tribes Coming soon: Got a career question? Ask the Attack Chihuahua! www.PracticalUSA.com
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nothing like that in avast. My only real complaint is that app updates require a boot to restart the scanner, and as of the last app release the notification message to do the update didn't have a working link in vista.
-- Help Stamp Out and Abolish Redundancy The preceding is courtesy of the Department of Unnecessarily Redundant Repetition Department.
I've noticed similar behavior with AVG. On XP, the updates happened fine with no interaction required. Under Vista, however, each time the virus database is updated I get a Will Robinson message that a reboot is required to complete the process. I'm so very happy that Microsoft has taken my money for a new version of a product that brings me no new features and causes me much more hassles than the one before. The observation that a camel is a racehorse designed by committee makes ever so much more sense now.
Christopher Duncan Author of The Career Programmer and Unite the Tribes Coming soon: Got a career question? Ask the Attack Chihuahua! www.PracticalUSA.com
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I've noticed similar behavior with AVG. On XP, the updates happened fine with no interaction required. Under Vista, however, each time the virus database is updated I get a Will Robinson message that a reboot is required to complete the process. I'm so very happy that Microsoft has taken my money for a new version of a product that brings me no new features and causes me much more hassles than the one before. The observation that a camel is a racehorse designed by committee makes ever so much more sense now.
Christopher Duncan Author of The Career Programmer and Unite the Tribes Coming soon: Got a career question? Ask the Attack Chihuahua! www.PracticalUSA.com
Christopher Duncan wrote:
The observation that a camel is a racehorse designed by committee makes ever so much more sense now.
Aren't camels really fast? (Maybe only over short distances...)
Faith is a fine invention For gentlemen who see; But microscopes are prudent In an emergency! -Emily Dickinson
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Christopher Duncan wrote:
The observation that a camel is a racehorse designed by committee makes ever so much more sense now.
Aren't camels really fast? (Maybe only over short distances...)
Faith is a fine invention For gentlemen who see; But microscopes are prudent In an emergency! -Emily Dickinson
Perhaps, but like Vista they have a reputation for a nasty disposition and don't appear that comfortable to ride. :-D
Christopher Duncan Author of The Career Programmer and Unite the Tribes Coming soon: Got a career question? Ask the Attack Chihuahua! www.PracticalUSA.com
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Not really sure why you're yelling at me, nor do I understand what the term "priating" means. As to the wisdom of trusting exclusively to Microsoft's anti virus efforts, the answer seems sufficiently self evident as to preclude any further elaboration.
Christopher Duncan Author of The Career Programmer and Unite the Tribes Coming soon: Got a career question? Ask the Attack Chihuahua! www.PracticalUSA.com
This guy is a troll - I'd ignore him.
Christian Graus - Microsoft MVP - C++ "also I don't think "TranslateOneToTwoBillion OneHundredAndFortySevenMillion FourHundredAndEightyThreeThousand SixHundredAndFortySeven()" is a very good choice for a function name" - SpacixOne ( offering help to someone who really needed it ) ( spaces added for the benefit of people running at < 1280x1024 )
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It seems now that Grisoft has paid versions of AVG to sell they've embraced the dark side. I've been happily running their free version for years, but now it's starting to launch a web browser pointing to ads for their products on a fairly regular basis. Above and beyond the annoyance factor (and Vista doesn't care for this behavior at all), it's actually ironic that the software I use to protect me from viruses is now behaving like one. I know that many here think highly of Avast. Are they pulling this same sleazy tactic with their free version, or does it just sit quietly and do the job? [edit] Given the reaction by a number of people I respect to my characterization of this as "sleazy," I thought I'd clarify. I've always thought highly of the AVG folks, and my quarrel is not with their advertising to me. That's a perfectly fair tradeoff for a high quality free product. They have advertising in the product UI that I find very acceptable. What I object to is any program, theirs included, randomly launching unrequested programs on my computer, browser or otherwise. It has an invasive feel to it, and is simply a bit on the creepy side. So, to be specific, my issue is not that they're advertising, but rather the mechanism that they're using - one that looks and feels so much like a virus that many have asked me if I was sure it wasn't malware. With that said, I officially retract the sleazy comment, and I ascribe "creepy" not to AVG, but to the virus emulating mechanism itself. Fair is fair. :-D [/edit] -- modified at 16:40 Monday 26th November, 2007
Christopher Duncan Author of The Career Programmer and Unite the Tribes Coming soon: Got a career question? Ask the Attack Chihuahua! www.PracticalUSA.com
Christopher Duncan wrote:
or does it just sit quietly and do the job?
Avast has its paid version. It is bright and clear on their page when you are required to visit about once a year to update your free license. You register for a free personal license for about 14 months if I recall, then you must renew by returning and reregistering your license. This means you are subjected to their advertising about once a year and then you are done. :)
_________________________ Asu no koto o ieba, tenjo de nezumi ga warau. Talk about things of tomorrow and the mice in the ceiling laugh. (Japanese Proverb)
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This guy is a troll - I'd ignore him.
Christian Graus - Microsoft MVP - C++ "also I don't think "TranslateOneToTwoBillion OneHundredAndFortySevenMillion FourHundredAndEightyThreeThousand SixHundredAndFortySeven()" is a very good choice for a function name" - SpacixOne ( offering help to someone who really needed it ) ( spaces added for the benefit of people running at < 1280x1024 )
It's Kyle. Bags of food can be purchased for 25 cents. He's a cheap date.:laugh:
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In this day and age I don't think I could ever answer that question with complete assurance. However, given the other utilities that I periodically run coupled with the incriminating evidence of it pointing to a web page advertisement that is clearly on the Grisoft site, I think they're busted on this one. :)
Christopher Duncan Author of The Career Programmer and Unite the Tribes Coming soon: Got a career question? Ask the Attack Chihuahua! www.PracticalUSA.com
I'd believe that if other people are not having the symptom and you are... that vote is not totally in. Got a virtual machine you can load it on to check?
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It seems now that Grisoft has paid versions of AVG to sell they've embraced the dark side. I've been happily running their free version for years, but now it's starting to launch a web browser pointing to ads for their products on a fairly regular basis. Above and beyond the annoyance factor (and Vista doesn't care for this behavior at all), it's actually ironic that the software I use to protect me from viruses is now behaving like one. I know that many here think highly of Avast. Are they pulling this same sleazy tactic with their free version, or does it just sit quietly and do the job? [edit] Given the reaction by a number of people I respect to my characterization of this as "sleazy," I thought I'd clarify. I've always thought highly of the AVG folks, and my quarrel is not with their advertising to me. That's a perfectly fair tradeoff for a high quality free product. They have advertising in the product UI that I find very acceptable. What I object to is any program, theirs included, randomly launching unrequested programs on my computer, browser or otherwise. It has an invasive feel to it, and is simply a bit on the creepy side. So, to be specific, my issue is not that they're advertising, but rather the mechanism that they're using - one that looks and feels so much like a virus that many have asked me if I was sure it wasn't malware. With that said, I officially retract the sleazy comment, and I ascribe "creepy" not to AVG, but to the virus emulating mechanism itself. Fair is fair. :-D [/edit] -- modified at 16:40 Monday 26th November, 2007
Christopher Duncan Author of The Career Programmer and Unite the Tribes Coming soon: Got a career question? Ask the Attack Chihuahua! www.PracticalUSA.com
I never see that behaviour from AVG on Win2k, XP or Vista.
Phil
The opinions expressed in this post are not necessarily those of the author, especially if you find them impolite, inaccurate or inflammatory.
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It seems now that Grisoft has paid versions of AVG to sell they've embraced the dark side. I've been happily running their free version for years, but now it's starting to launch a web browser pointing to ads for their products on a fairly regular basis. Above and beyond the annoyance factor (and Vista doesn't care for this behavior at all), it's actually ironic that the software I use to protect me from viruses is now behaving like one. I know that many here think highly of Avast. Are they pulling this same sleazy tactic with their free version, or does it just sit quietly and do the job? [edit] Given the reaction by a number of people I respect to my characterization of this as "sleazy," I thought I'd clarify. I've always thought highly of the AVG folks, and my quarrel is not with their advertising to me. That's a perfectly fair tradeoff for a high quality free product. They have advertising in the product UI that I find very acceptable. What I object to is any program, theirs included, randomly launching unrequested programs on my computer, browser or otherwise. It has an invasive feel to it, and is simply a bit on the creepy side. So, to be specific, my issue is not that they're advertising, but rather the mechanism that they're using - one that looks and feels so much like a virus that many have asked me if I was sure it wasn't malware. With that said, I officially retract the sleazy comment, and I ascribe "creepy" not to AVG, but to the virus emulating mechanism itself. Fair is fair. :-D [/edit] -- modified at 16:40 Monday 26th November, 2007
Christopher Duncan Author of The Career Programmer and Unite the Tribes Coming soon: Got a career question? Ask the Attack Chihuahua! www.PracticalUSA.com
Christopher Duncan wrote:
Are they pulling this same sleazy tactic with their free version, or does it just sit quietly and do the job?
To answer your questions: I've started noticing that when I log into my Administrator privilege account, I get the web browser pointing to a "You can buy the regular version at" advertisement. It usually occurs whenever I log in. When I log into my User privilege account however, I don't get the web browser with the advertisement. Selective advertisement....:laugh: I dunno if I'd call it sleazy as they do have a right to promote there software. I wish they did give the option of "don't show me this again" (which would probably be a cookie setting that would get replaced/lost everyday I clean my browser cache:doh:).
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It seems now that Grisoft has paid versions of AVG to sell they've embraced the dark side. I've been happily running their free version for years, but now it's starting to launch a web browser pointing to ads for their products on a fairly regular basis. Above and beyond the annoyance factor (and Vista doesn't care for this behavior at all), it's actually ironic that the software I use to protect me from viruses is now behaving like one. I know that many here think highly of Avast. Are they pulling this same sleazy tactic with their free version, or does it just sit quietly and do the job? [edit] Given the reaction by a number of people I respect to my characterization of this as "sleazy," I thought I'd clarify. I've always thought highly of the AVG folks, and my quarrel is not with their advertising to me. That's a perfectly fair tradeoff for a high quality free product. They have advertising in the product UI that I find very acceptable. What I object to is any program, theirs included, randomly launching unrequested programs on my computer, browser or otherwise. It has an invasive feel to it, and is simply a bit on the creepy side. So, to be specific, my issue is not that they're advertising, but rather the mechanism that they're using - one that looks and feels so much like a virus that many have asked me if I was sure it wasn't malware. With that said, I officially retract the sleazy comment, and I ascribe "creepy" not to AVG, but to the virus emulating mechanism itself. Fair is fair. :-D [/edit] -- modified at 16:40 Monday 26th November, 2007
Christopher Duncan Author of The Career Programmer and Unite the Tribes Coming soon: Got a career question? Ask the Attack Chihuahua! www.PracticalUSA.com
I've only seen this when reboot/starting up my machine. I figured, it's a small price to "pay" for free ... but I'm waiting until COMODO's Anti-Virus[^] software comes out of beta, and then I'm moving to it.
:..::. Douglas H. Troy ::..
Bad Astronomy |VCF|wxWidgets|WTL -
It seems now that Grisoft has paid versions of AVG to sell they've embraced the dark side. I've been happily running their free version for years, but now it's starting to launch a web browser pointing to ads for their products on a fairly regular basis. Above and beyond the annoyance factor (and Vista doesn't care for this behavior at all), it's actually ironic that the software I use to protect me from viruses is now behaving like one. I know that many here think highly of Avast. Are they pulling this same sleazy tactic with their free version, or does it just sit quietly and do the job? [edit] Given the reaction by a number of people I respect to my characterization of this as "sleazy," I thought I'd clarify. I've always thought highly of the AVG folks, and my quarrel is not with their advertising to me. That's a perfectly fair tradeoff for a high quality free product. They have advertising in the product UI that I find very acceptable. What I object to is any program, theirs included, randomly launching unrequested programs on my computer, browser or otherwise. It has an invasive feel to it, and is simply a bit on the creepy side. So, to be specific, my issue is not that they're advertising, but rather the mechanism that they're using - one that looks and feels so much like a virus that many have asked me if I was sure it wasn't malware. With that said, I officially retract the sleazy comment, and I ascribe "creepy" not to AVG, but to the virus emulating mechanism itself. Fair is fair. :-D [/edit] -- modified at 16:40 Monday 26th November, 2007
Christopher Duncan Author of The Career Programmer and Unite the Tribes Coming soon: Got a career question? Ask the Attack Chihuahua! www.PracticalUSA.com
AVG and Avast are two separate products...I have used Avast for years and have never seen a popup advertisement. Mostly just use it for the email scanner cuz viruses regularly get past it. I use Avira AntiVir for my main anti-virus...it has a free version that does popup advertising when you update the proggy or the v-list. So far, Avira AntiVir is the best one with a free version that I've tried.
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It seems now that Grisoft has paid versions of AVG to sell they've embraced the dark side. I've been happily running their free version for years, but now it's starting to launch a web browser pointing to ads for their products on a fairly regular basis. Above and beyond the annoyance factor (and Vista doesn't care for this behavior at all), it's actually ironic that the software I use to protect me from viruses is now behaving like one. I know that many here think highly of Avast. Are they pulling this same sleazy tactic with their free version, or does it just sit quietly and do the job? [edit] Given the reaction by a number of people I respect to my characterization of this as "sleazy," I thought I'd clarify. I've always thought highly of the AVG folks, and my quarrel is not with their advertising to me. That's a perfectly fair tradeoff for a high quality free product. They have advertising in the product UI that I find very acceptable. What I object to is any program, theirs included, randomly launching unrequested programs on my computer, browser or otherwise. It has an invasive feel to it, and is simply a bit on the creepy side. So, to be specific, my issue is not that they're advertising, but rather the mechanism that they're using - one that looks and feels so much like a virus that many have asked me if I was sure it wasn't malware. With that said, I officially retract the sleazy comment, and I ascribe "creepy" not to AVG, but to the virus emulating mechanism itself. Fair is fair. :-D [/edit] -- modified at 16:40 Monday 26th November, 2007
Christopher Duncan Author of The Career Programmer and Unite the Tribes Coming soon: Got a career question? Ask the Attack Chihuahua! www.PracticalUSA.com
As far as I know free version will only install on desktop OS's that are not joined to any domain (if you try to install free version on a server or on domained workstation it will ask you to buy). It has been this way for quite a while, although I don't really know for how long. Regarding popups, yeah I've gotten few of those asking me to buy stuff at discounted price (I think no more than 3 in total) about a week ago every time update ran. However, as I said I think I've only had 3 pop-ups total, and I think they've stopped. As annoying as it is, and as much as I wouldn't want this to set a trend in Grisoft advertising, 3 popups a year is a small price to pay for fully functioning anti-virus suite.
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It seems now that Grisoft has paid versions of AVG to sell they've embraced the dark side. I've been happily running their free version for years, but now it's starting to launch a web browser pointing to ads for their products on a fairly regular basis. Above and beyond the annoyance factor (and Vista doesn't care for this behavior at all), it's actually ironic that the software I use to protect me from viruses is now behaving like one. I know that many here think highly of Avast. Are they pulling this same sleazy tactic with their free version, or does it just sit quietly and do the job? [edit] Given the reaction by a number of people I respect to my characterization of this as "sleazy," I thought I'd clarify. I've always thought highly of the AVG folks, and my quarrel is not with their advertising to me. That's a perfectly fair tradeoff for a high quality free product. They have advertising in the product UI that I find very acceptable. What I object to is any program, theirs included, randomly launching unrequested programs on my computer, browser or otherwise. It has an invasive feel to it, and is simply a bit on the creepy side. So, to be specific, my issue is not that they're advertising, but rather the mechanism that they're using - one that looks and feels so much like a virus that many have asked me if I was sure it wasn't malware. With that said, I officially retract the sleazy comment, and I ascribe "creepy" not to AVG, but to the virus emulating mechanism itself. Fair is fair. :-D [/edit] -- modified at 16:40 Monday 26th November, 2007
Christopher Duncan Author of The Career Programmer and Unite the Tribes Coming soon: Got a career question? Ask the Attack Chihuahua! www.PracticalUSA.com
I found AVG to work well and be of value so I paid for it. I'm pretty certain they've had a paid for version for quite a while, it's nothing new. To say dark side and sleazy about a company wanting to make money, a company I might add that consistenly has one of the top rated products in it's category seems a little unfair. I suspect they might have realized that they've been putting in a lot of work for very little reward and are attempting to adjust that imbalance. It's amazing to me that we've come to a point in this day and age where it's considered normal and even expected to be given something for free that takes a lot of money and effort to produce. Where this bizarre culture of entitlement is going is anyone's guess but frankly it's far sleazier than even socialism which is sleazy at best. No offence mate but if anyone came up to me and said I was being sleazy for attempting to make money off my hard work I'd be fighting an urge to slap them upside the head.
More people died from worry than ever bled to death. - RAH
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I've only seen this when reboot/starting up my machine. I figured, it's a small price to "pay" for free ... but I'm waiting until COMODO's Anti-Virus[^] software comes out of beta, and then I'm moving to it.
:..::. Douglas H. Troy ::..
Bad Astronomy |VCF|wxWidgets|WTLWhy? Is it proven to be better than either?
"Programming today is a race between software engineers striving to build bigger and better idiot-proof programs, and the Universe trying to produce bigger and better idiots. So far, the Universe is winning." - Rick Cook "There is no wealth like knowledge, no poverty like ignorance." Ali ibn Abi Talib "Animadvertistine, ubicumque stes, fumum recta in faciem ferri?"
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Christopher Duncan wrote:
Are they pulling this same sleazy tactic with their free version, or does it just sit quietly and do the job?
To answer your questions: I've started noticing that when I log into my Administrator privilege account, I get the web browser pointing to a "You can buy the regular version at" advertisement. It usually occurs whenever I log in. When I log into my User privilege account however, I don't get the web browser with the advertisement. Selective advertisement....:laugh: I dunno if I'd call it sleazy as they do have a right to promote there software. I wish they did give the option of "don't show me this again" (which would probably be a cookie setting that would get replaced/lost everyday I clean my browser cache:doh:).
Yeah, perhaps sleazy is too strong a word. However, having a browser suddenly pop up from nowhere is reasonably startling behavior that tends to make folks twitch. But then, perhaps the years in this business have damaged me psychologically by inscribing a certain paranoia into my genes. :)
Christopher Duncan Author of The Career Programmer and Unite the Tribes Coming soon: Got a career question? Ask the Attack Chihuahua! www.PracticalUSA.com