Anti-virus Software Leaves Me Cold

Had a dutiful client who had purchased MacAfee’s anti-virus package, only to find that it had not been installed as soon as the confirmation to his charge card had been displayed. In fact, in a search of his hard drive, there had been NO download at all.

So to learn what he had for $40, we went to the MacAfee site to find the download site. Oops, we need a login – with password. OK, received the password in an email from MacAfee. Then among all the small print, find that there is a specific site for downloading lost copies of the anti-virus software.

Download/Install icon

Unfortunately, the little download icon was nowhere to be found. [As of April 29, 2008, using IE 7; as of April 30, it seems to have been fixed in both IE and Firefox]

So more fumbling around, only to find that most pages were nothing more than advertising for other MacAfee products. At any rate, I just happened to put the mouse over the blank spot on the page where the icon should have been, to discover that it was, in fact, hidden. On clicking through, we arrived at the download page.

Now we are talking about a utility that has been around since the last millennium, so one would think the install could be done on a lunch break. But noooo! The first download was the setup, at 22Mb – about 10+ minutes on broadband. Then we went through the customized install, which “sold” us on the idea of installing SiteAdvisor – presumably a phishing phlagger. (I think this may be built in to Firefox or my anti-virus program, as I have something very similar, with no such installs …)

More downloads. Oddly enough no restart required – just close everything else (ho-hum …)

Unfortunately, now on every startup there is a warning, which is nothing more than a whine, which can be fixed by purchasing more products. I tried every ignore flag I could find, but I could not stop the warning.

So now he has a bossy mom-surrogate who, instead of telling him to eat his vegetables or he won’t be allowed to play, is saying if you do not buy me a present, lightening will strike ...

Of course, there are apocryphal stories of bloat, of dreadfully slow boot-ups, even system lock-ups with the major $40+ anti-virus packages, but I will wait until I see that happen. I know I have had to remove MacAfee’s SpamKiller on one PC so far because of seize-up…

Which does get me to wonder: the FREE anti-virus products are so much easier, faster, more stable than the majors; why aren’t new users downloading Avast! ?

Archie specializes in tutoring and training of seniors in PC security, Windows, Internet, and Microsoft Office. He is often featured speaker at Goodwin House in Alexandria. He can be emailed at ama3@tfci-us.com

PlugnPlay? Fuggettaboudit!

Long ago and far away, in the last millennium, there once was the possibility that when one bought an item for a PC it contained everything necessary: power cable (when required), the item, an install disk, and a cable to connect to the PC.

Printers might have one of two connections, a Centronix (a very toothy looking grin) or parallel DB-25 (a large-ish D-shaped connector). Other items (modems in particular) also had two: either RS-232 (again a large-ish D-shape with 25 pins, formally known as DB-25, but NOT the same as the parallel) or the smaller DE-9 (with 9 pins). A mouse might come with an additional, PS/2 (circular, mini-DIN) connector.

Then something strange happened. Items began to lose their PC cables, on the basis that no one could possibly know what kind of connector was on a PC: RS-232 or DE-9? Rather than pack adaptors for both, manufacturers just stopped including the cables. In fact, printers could have exactly the same-looking cable but your printer required the one that was IEEEE-1284 standard. (I remember this from a scanner I bought.)

With printers, this became tediously annoying, as customers now had to make two trips to the store, one to buy the printer, and another to buy a cable, which turned out to be another $35 [minimum!] And by the way, buy 20-lb paper.

Only last month did I learn from clients that the printer environment has changed again. After a total of four hours with tech support for their respective printers (Dell and HP), both discovered that the ink cartridges included in the package were, in fact, dummies, non-operational, useless. HP calls their dummies "shipping cartridges". (And have not warned their tech support of so doing!)

Apparently, these manufacturers are no longer including … ink!

So we reluctantly got used to having to buy cables for our parallel/USB printers to connect to PCs (@ $35-60 ea), now we have to buy the ink ($35-65) before we start? So much for PlugnPlay! The $99 printer is now closer to $199!

Therefore when buying anything today, read the side panel to ensure you will have everything you need, though I doubt printer manufacturers are yet stating the need for ink. Oh, and note that there may not be an install disk; you are expected to have a broadband connection to the internet, from which the drivers and manual may be downloaded. Hey, the big companies have now outsourced their assemblies to you!

[Late News: when buying an HP printer for primarily printing photos , note that a different ink is needed!]

Archie specializes in tutoring and training of seniors in PC security, Windows, Internet, and Microsoft Office. He holds the CompTIA A+ certification and is often featured speaker at Goodwin House in Alexandria; he can be emailed at ama3@tfci-us.com