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[OM] OT: Antivirus Software

Subject: [OM] OT: Antivirus Software
From: Chris Trask <christrask@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Sat, 23 Jan 2016 12:22:12 -0700 (GMT-07:00)
     Recently I had yet another problem with evilBay, which turned out to be a 
change they made in the URL for viewing watch lists.  Earlier the options were 
part of the URL, but now they are saved in your account settings.  But, 
thinking that there was malware involved I updated both the AVG antivirus and 
the spyware.  Then the REAL problems began.

     The AVG Free antivirus no longer has user options for scanning and 
downloading updates, it now instead looks for updates every time you turn the 
machine on.  It also launches Windows Outlook for some unknown reason.  A quick 
discussion on the AVG Facebook page showed that they had adopted a contemptuous 
attitude towards the users, rendering us as incapable of doing updates 
manually.  They also cleverly avoided the problem with the Windows Outlook 
launch problem and never addressed it.

     After uninstalling AVG I had to spend more than an hour purging the 
remaining AVG files from the hard drive and especially the registry.  Only then 
did the aggravating launching of Windows Outlook at startup come to an end.

     I had previously used Avast! antivirus software, but switched to AVG after 
they stopped supporting WinXP.  Seems that their attitude towards WinXP has 
changed since then and they no longer make any distinction between it and 
Win7/8/9/10/5000/whatever due to the needs of the WinXP community.  Seems they 
make the necessary adjustments during installation.  Imagine that: A software 
vendour that responds to the needs of the users.  Unheard of!

     Soooooo...  If you're using the free edition of AVG antivirus on ANY 
Windows platform, don't update it or you will lose all control of the updating 
and scanning.  

     Also, it was blocking access to the Visual C+++ runtime library, which 
denied me use of my Topo mapping software.  That was cleared up after AVG was 
removed with no further effort.

     One of the few instances where the antivirus software is more damaging 
than the malware it's supposed to be protecting you from.  I know:  You get 
what you pay for.


Chris

When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro 
     - Hunter S. Thompson
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