Tim's Panda project

[Spell Chick]

So, I listened to Tim and Gyppo and downloaded Panda. I got rid of AVG and Panda parked itself in my tray and began protecting me. I do notice a little delay in beginning programs as it scan, but not anything like what Norton's used to do to me.

I ran the full scan and it found 0 threats, except it really neutralized 12 cookies and 1 worm.

I tried to see if I could salvage my old laptop for my son. I got rid of McAfee which was no small feat in and of itself. I installed Panda and began running a full scan. Within the first 3% of the files it found 202 threats to neutralize. Hmmmm.

My son may be getting an updated computer soon.

[emma112]

So, which would you say was the best Internet Security (in your opinion)?
I have McAfee at the moment. It doesn't make my computer crash or run really slow, and the scan seems to pick up viruses quite easily and destroys them just the same.

But is Panda better?
I'd like to know, because my McAfee membership is running out.  And I need to either upgrade it, or download another system.

Thanks,
Emma x x x

[Spell Chick]

http://www.cloudantivirus.com/

Tim might stop by when he sees his name and the panda thing. I don't really totally understand this. It automatically does stuff to make your computer safer no matter what. It detects and protects against virus attacks within minutes of their hitting the web and so keeps you safe regardless of how unsafe you might behave. ... well, maybe not that good, but he says it is really good.

I had McAfee, paid for virus and there were over 200 things that were bad on my computer with only the first 3% of the disk scanned. They all snuck by the paid stuff and they have been neutralized by the cute little Panda.

I am no longer a computer specialist. I do know that Tim is. He likes me to do stuff to my computer that sometimes is a little nerve wracking, but he doesn't usually lie to me.

I wouldn't pay for another subscription to McAfee no matter what. They have irritated me no end. I was using a free AVG program before this on my newest computer. I bought this with the other laptop got all not very nice. I have far more problems listed on the computer with the paid protection than I did on the computer with the free protection.

Both computer have other programs I run looking for malware.

[emma112]

Thank you so much for the link, Patti.

Well, if you trust Tim then I'm sure the Panda software will work, heh. 

I'll download it now, and see what I think of it. It does look very good.
I'm no expert on Internet Security either... I'll have to ask Tim more on it.

[Gyppo]

I've not been using Panda long enough to say for certain if it is better than Avast, which I used before, and AVG before that.  I've never used McAfee or Norton so can't make any meaningful comparisons there.

So far it's found about three threats a day and 'neutralised' them.  I used to do a thorough scan once a week and would usually find somewhere between three and six items, but these were usually 'just' tracking 'cookies' rather than really nasty viruses.

I'm generally quite choosy anyway about where my computer goes calling.  For want of a better description it doesn't 'sleep around' and rarely visits questionable sites.  But sometimes when I look at the list of sites my browser has allegedly visited I find things there which I know I've not voluntarily looked at.  This list has shrunk considerably since I started using Panda.

So Panda seems to be filling its role as gatekeeper, stopping stuff before it gets onto my system.

May I suggest you let your McAfee lapse - unless there is a real financial inducement to renew rather than start again later if you want to return to it - and run the Panda for a while to see if it suits you.

Patti:  So did you leave the Panda to graunch slowly through the old laptop?.  My first complete scan took several hours, including stopping some time during the night (which Tim had warned was likely to happen) and being restarted the next day.  It is amazing how much 'stuff' can accumulate on an old computer, and it may have a new lease of life once thoroughly cleaned up.

Gyppo 

[emma112]

Thank you for the advice, Gyp.
Yes, I think I will check that Panda software after my McAfee membership has run away. I tried Panda just now, but it won't accept it until McAfee gives up it's place. It refuses to leave. But, I'm okay with that I guess. 
McAfee is quite good for my computer, though. It rarely gives me any problems to deal with.

[Spell Chick]

I ran Panda's full scan on this one over night and woke up to find a few cookies it selected as not very nice and one worm.

This computer is relatively new. I got it in November, I think.

The old one is still running and is about 3/4 finished. So far, there aren't any more numbers showing up in the Neutralized list, and none in the not neutralized.

There weren't any showing in the neutralized list on this computer this morning, but when I checked the details, it showed me the cookies and worm. Not sure why that discrepancy happened, but I'm waiting patiently for this old machine to finish. Wouldn't it be nice if I could give it to the son?

[Red_Barren]

Nick!  I did not start this thread.  I posted one link in the bar and obviously some of the lushes around here ran with it.  I'm going to need Bones for a bit.

Hi Emma.  Would you care for a drink?  It seems a few people have loose lips.  I'll deal with them later, but for now, let's take care of you.

McAfee is a good product, but I wouldn't pay for it.  There is no need for an individual to pay for protection.  Feel free to remove it now.  You can always reinstall it tomorrow after the "cloud scan", and use the same McAfee license number that is good until your renewal date.

McAfee is quite good for my computer, though. It rarely gives me any problems to deal with.

Let me see if I understand you.  You pay for a security solution because it can't find the problems so it doesn't bother you?

Wait, that isn't my invisible font!!!

[Red_Barren]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0-JfW4Ut8kg

[Red_Barren]

Oh, I found out why the scan I recommend you start after the initial install crashes.  It starts one automatically, but it doesn't slow down your computer, so I didn't notice it was running.  Silly me.

[Spell Chick]

Sure, you've always liked Emma best. You didn't give ME that cute little video thing.

I'm crushed.

[Red_Barren]

They didn't have the cute little video thing when I told you to install it.  I told you about the cute Panda in the system tray, didn't I?

I gotta find something to do.  I'd run a scan, but I don't have to.  Updates?  I don't need no stinking updates.

Food sounds like a plan.  G'day all, and if Panda shows up, wake me up.  I want to give them a tour.

[eric]

I talked this over with Tim, Emma, and I have been following the issue.  Basically, I agree with Tim, you should get rid of McAfee and install the cloud program as soon as possible. 

If McAfee has no uninstall button, try the add/remove programs function in Windows.  If you tried that and McAfee refused to allow you to delete it, I would be doubly suspicious.  Any program that refuses to allow you to delete it (like AOL) is a program you really want to get rid of completely and forthwith, or near to it.  Notice that Patti says two things about McAfee -- she was able to delete it finally and that "was a feat in itself."  So it is difficult, but can be done.

The cloud program as Tim and Gyppos described it is an excellent one and very secure.  It may slow you down a bit (as Patti suggests) but it will keep you safe, and I want that for numerous  reasons.  Here is what Tim and I said:

Eric:

As to Panda, I have an interesting aside (hey, at least I think it's interesting).  Back in the day I had Panda before they went to the clouds ... it looked great but it did not seem as functional as I was used to.  I went somewhere else.  Based on what you and Gyppo say, this cloud version is much improved.  Can you comment?  If it is that good, I'll clearly be glad to pass that along to Emma myself, save you the trouble.  I use AVG with no complaints, but if I'm tempted to switch I might try it too.

Tim:

I used to use AVG.  We still use it at work as our license doesn't run out until 2010, but I personally don't use AVG anymore.  The scans it did, the update problems, all those just interrupted my thoughts or slowed them down.

Cloud AV doesn't do that.  There is no update button, as you are always up to date.

It scans on the fly -- you can't schedule one, and you don't have to.

You still have the AVG install file, right?  If you uninstall it, you can always reinstall if you don't like the Panda.

I was impressed when it cleared viruses from an old backup I had of Thunderbird.  I knew they were there as attachments to individual e-mails, but everything else just reported them.  Cloud cleaned them.  Stripped them right out of a compressed file.  I've been beta testing AVs for years, and this was my test file.  Now that it's cured, I'm going to have to find another one.

@@@@@@@@

[Red_Barren]

Apparently this thread is invisible to some moderators.  I questioned that until I found out the moderator that couldn't find it was FF.  Figures.

*waves*.  This one, mate.

[Red_Barren]

No worries, come right in.  This is sweet.  Not only has Panda agreed to give everyone here a free license to Cloud AntiVirus, they've agreed to give a free license to anyone you tell about it.  Isn't that amazing?

The negotiations with Nick were tough, but in the end, Nick didn't do anything because I haven't told him about this yet.

G'night folks.  Enjoy your Free AV.