I haven't had any conflicts for close to 7 years using McAfee, from the good old "SX's" to the "Pentium !!!'s". The only problem was not doing a complete install on V4.0.0, to scan Email on Netscape, and fixed that quite simply. What were the conflicts of others?
While you seem to have your own situation covered, I am concerned for those with whom you communicate by e-mail; if they were to have your philosophy but not your foresight and ability to prepare for and correct a worst case scenario, they may be in deep trouble someday, should you ever suffer from a virus. Anymore, we protect not only ourselves but other people by using an antivirus program and by keeping that program current as to its definitions. This may seem idealistic, but it seems to me that this is not a wrong philosophical position to take.
I wish you luck with your new system--and your virus track record.
Larry, I have patients who don't think they need a doctor. You remind me of them. Unfortunately, you are a risk to the rest of us by not practicing safe text.
larryh10 wrote:
- Well, I would guess that most will probably disagree
- but just ask yourself home many messages you read
- from people complaining about anti-virsus software
- conflicts compared to those complaining about
- getting a virus?
I've been using McAfee's since the early 90's on my Compaq and now my Dell. Never had a conflict and regularly update the .dat files and scan engine with no problems.
- I have just build a very nice computer and it is
- working great, so go ahead and convince me why I
- sould buy and install something that will turn it
- into an unstable error message machine that I have
- to tinker with all the time.
I hear you. After my annual reformat/reinstall of W98 this January, I decided to leave Norton AV on the shelf. Too many conflicts, and too much of an impact on the speed of my machine. I've been on the internet and with e-mail for 6 years, and I honestly believe that the whole Virus scare is purposely overblown. I've never gotten any more than a mild word macro virus about 4 years ago before many people knew of them - now I'm careful. With some common sense, one can avoid most viruses. Don't open those mystery e-mails. Don't download programs from underground pirate sites. I guess if you DO like swapping files with total strangers, then you may need AV - it's a matter of your "on-line lifestyle".
I see it as risk vs. return. I agree that it's much more likely that AV software will regularly cause system crashes than it is that I will get a virus if I use some common sense. That said, I am still debating installing it, but not letting it run in the background all the time - just occasionally call it up to do a scan. But it seems that Symantic programs shoot tendrils into every dang nook and cranny of the registry and windows folder, and that eventually s**t happens because of it, even if you don't have it running in the background.
I'm starting the process of organizing all my software, that I kept, to reinstall after giving my PC a needed "enema". There's quite a few things I want to cure after a year of multi-installs. I figure it'll be a month of organizing everything so I have easy sailing with the chore. The software I haven't stored away or was install automatically will have to downloaded and set aside for a later install or downloaded after the "enema". This time around I want to do a proper install of only the essential software and leave the unnecessary stuff off. Trying to keep track of all the tweaks and install/uninstalls is a chore, but I want to be completely ready for a yearly spring cleaning. my system at the present time (XPS T500) is limping a little even after doing all of the necessary prooning and fixes to speed things up. This time around I'll know what parts of certain multi-part programs not to load or that may have caused problems in the past.
dransom
121 Posts
0
April 19th, 2000 03:00
KayH
1.1K Posts
0
April 19th, 2000 03:00
Hi Larry,
While you seem to have your own situation covered, I am concerned for those with whom you communicate by e-mail; if they were to have your philosophy but not your foresight and ability to prepare for and correct a worst case scenario, they may be in deep trouble someday, should you ever suffer from a virus. Anymore, we protect not only ourselves but other people by using an antivirus program and by keeping that program current as to its definitions. This may seem idealistic, but it seems to me that this is not a wrong philosophical position to take.
I wish you luck with your new system--and your virus track record.
Kay
perplexed
2 Intern
•
946 Posts
0
April 19th, 2000 04:00
Majestic
9.4K Posts
0
April 19th, 2000 04:00
- Well, I would guess that most will probably disagree
- but just ask yourself home many messages you read
- from people complaining about anti-virsus software
- conflicts compared to those complaining about
- getting a virus?
I've been using McAfee's since the early 90's on my Compaq and now my Dell. Never had a conflict and regularly update the .dat files and scan engine with no problems.
- I have just build a very nice computer and it is
- working great, so go ahead and convince me why I
- sould buy and install something that will turn it
- into an unstable error message machine that I have
- to tinker with all the time.
To each his own...
Derek Grasso
3 Posts
0
April 19th, 2000 13:00
I hear you. After my annual reformat/reinstall of W98 this January, I decided to leave Norton AV on the shelf. Too many conflicts, and too much of an impact on the speed of my machine. I've been on the internet and with e-mail for 6 years, and I honestly believe that the whole Virus scare is purposely overblown. I've never gotten any more than a mild word macro virus about 4 years ago before many people knew of them - now I'm careful. With some common sense, one can avoid most viruses. Don't open those mystery e-mails. Don't download programs from underground pirate sites. I guess if you DO like swapping files with total strangers, then you may need AV - it's a matter of your "on-line lifestyle".
I see it as risk vs. return. I agree that it's much more likely that AV software will regularly cause system crashes than it is that I will get a virus if I use some common sense. That said, I am still debating installing it, but not letting it run in the background all the time - just occasionally call it up to do a scan. But it seems that Symantic programs shoot tendrils into every dang nook and cranny of the registry and windows folder, and that eventually s**t happens because of it, even if you don't have it running in the background.
dransom
121 Posts
0
April 20th, 2000 01:00