Does anyone know if Avast! was fixed yet to pass the important tests?

While googling for more information about Avast!, I found Avast! recently
failed an apparently important consumer oriented test (which AVG passed).
My question is whether or not Avast! has been fixed with respect to that
failure.

I ask because I just recently decided to install a (the best?) freeware
anti-virus program for my Windows XP PC. I am not an antivirus expert; so
the first thing I did was search the google groups (groups.google.com) for
their astute recommendations.

Most articles advised the following four freeware antivirus scanners - and
I ascertained most (but not all) recommended them in the order shown:
1. Avast! 4.6 http://files.avast.com
2. AVG 7.1.371 http://free.grisoft.com
3. BitDefender 8 http://www.bitdefender.com
4. AntiVir PE Classic 6.32.00.51 http://www.free-av.com

So, I had installed Avast! on my WinXP system.

However, while searching for more information, I find the following
disturbing report (
http://www.consumersearch.com/www/so...fullstory.html
) which says "in a recent Virus Bulletin test, AVG passed rigorous
virus-detection testing in the Windows XP environment, while Avast! failed
(although it had passed this test in years past)."

My question to the freeware antivirus experts (which I am not one of) is
whether they know if Avast! has been fixed yet or if it will be fixed?

If not, should we resort to AVG (which seems to have passed the test).

Thanks in advance for your expert advice,
Tony Susa

> Never used Avast! Have found AVG to be good although a little prone to false-positices. On one site it tried to delete all the scripts on the server, fortunately permissions prevented it. We narrowly avoided a total system-outage. I guess someone found a virus written wth a script-engine and decided thall all such programs must be viruses.

Tony Susa wrote:
[snip]
> My question to the freeware antivirus experts (which I am not one of) is
> whether they know if Avast! has been fixed yet or if it will be fixed?

all products have failed the virus bulletin vb100 'test' at one time or
another... the criteria for passing are very strict (not only do you
have to detect 100% of their in-the-wild test set, you have to have 0
false alarms too) so failing on occasion is not a big deal and certainly
no reason to run around trying to find out if the sky is really falling...

as for getting fixed - yes, whatever caused it to fail will undoubtedly
get fixed but that's no guarantee that it won't fail again the next time
for a completely different reason...

just keep an eye on this page
http://www.virusbtn.com/vb100/archiv...isplay=summary and watch
for a trend of failure... so long as no such trend emerges, you
shouldn't need to worry about it...

--
"it's not the right time to be sober
now the idiots have taken over
spreading like a social cancer,
is there an answer?"

Tony Susa wrote:
> Does anyone know if Avast! was fixed yet to pass the important tests?
>
> While googling for more information about Avast!, I found Avast!
> recently failed an apparently important consumer oriented test (which
> AVG passed). My question is whether or not Avast! has been fixed with
> respect to that failure.
>

I've used both Avast and AVG, and I wouldn't ever go back to AVG. The
interface was confusing and the updating was spotty and unreliable. Also,
after seeing both programs running, it's pretty obvious (at least to me)
which was is better programming effort.

Satisfied Avast user for 3 years.

--
GPC

Anti-virus programs should be judged on their ability to do their job
without constant interference on the part of the computer operator.. in this
way, AVG is as good as any..

--
Mike Hall
MVP - Windows Shell/User


"Cat_in_awe" <rl3166pls@excite.com> wrote in message
news:%nXnf.3252$Zb2.627@newssvr23.news.prodigy.net ...
> Tony Susa wrote:
>> Does anyone know if Avast! was fixed yet to pass the important tests?
>>
>> While googling for more information about Avast!, I found Avast!
>> recently failed an apparently important consumer oriented test (which
>> AVG passed). My question is whether or not Avast! has been fixed with
>> respect to that failure.
>>
>
> I've used both Avast and AVG, and I wouldn't ever go back to AVG. The
> interface was confusing and the updating was spotty and unreliable. Also,
> after seeing both programs running, it's pretty obvious (at least to me)
> which was is better programming effort.
>
> Satisfied Avast user for 3 years.
>
> --
> GPC
>
>

Cat_in_awe wrote:

>
> Satisfied Avast user for 3 years.

I totally agree with your comments.
I've been with Avast! for 2 years (after 5 years with AVG and its
never-ending problems with updating the data-base, and other things.)

No AV progs will pass all tests at any particular time.
It would take far more than one report to persuade me to change back
from Avast! to AVG.

--
Harold

Would you all please read this:
http://groups.google.com/group/micro...ae525d9e6c8c9b


Concentrate on David's words .
And then decide wheter to use either Avast or AVG?!?!?!


Panda_man
--
Let''s beat malware black and blue
Panda TruPrevent - the most intelligent technology to combat unknown malware
http://www.pandasoftware.com
http://www.microsoft.com/protect





"Tony Susa" wrote:

> Does anyone know if Avast! was fixed yet to pass the important tests?
>
> While googling for more information about Avast!, I found Avast! recently
> failed an apparently important consumer oriented test (which AVG passed).
> My question is whether or not Avast! has been fixed with respect to that
> failure.
>
> I ask because I just recently decided to install a (the best?) freeware
> anti-virus program for my Windows XP PC. I am not an antivirus expert; so
> the first thing I did was search the google groups (groups.google.com) for
> their astute recommendations.
>
> Most articles advised the following four freeware antivirus scanners - and
> I ascertained most (but not all) recommended them in the order shown:
> 1. Avast! 4.6 http://files.avast.com
> 2. AVG 7.1.371 http://free.grisoft.com
> 3. BitDefender 8 http://www.bitdefender.com
> 4. AntiVir PE Classic 6.32.00.51 http://www.free-av.com
>
> So, I had installed Avast! on my WinXP system.
>
> However, while searching for more information, I find the following
> disturbing report (
> http://www.consumersearch.com/www/so...fullstory.html
> ) which says "in a recent Virus Bulletin test, AVG passed rigorous
> virus-detection testing in the Windows XP environment, while Avast! failed
> (although it had passed this test in years past)."
>
> My question to the freeware antivirus experts (which I am not one of) is
> whether they know if Avast! has been fixed yet or if it will be fixed?
>
> If not, should we resort to AVG (which seems to have passed the test).
>
> Thanks in advance for your expert advice,
> Tony Susa
>

"Panda_man" <Pandaman@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
newsA99E7DE-9917-4285-A79E-6ED9CA35DD9C@microsoft.com...
> Would you all please read this:
> http://groups.google.com/group/micro...ae525d9e6c8c9b
>
>
> Concentrate on David's words .
> And then decide wheter to use either Avast or AVG?!?!?!


Obviously no bias here then.... every post a signature spam