It ain’t all it’s cracked up to be.
First, there’s the increased RAM footprint, close to double from AVG 7.5. Translation? Before, when AVG 7.5 ran system scans, I could still use my computer to do other tasks, albeit slowly and with much patience on my part. Now, my system is at a virtual standstill and is completely useless while the system scan runs, which also takes more than twice as long to run as before.
I really wish that computer software companies didn’t continue to up the ante on resource usage. I know, I know – they think they can because everyone’s getting newer and newer computers with more RAM than ever before. But it’s not necessary. Software with smaller footprints can be made and even made well. So why not start doing that for a change?
If this were all, it wouldn’t be so bad. But Grisoft added Spyware checking to the program, and with that, AVG now also checks cookies. Unfortunately, this translates into not one single site logging in automatically with my userID and password anymore. Not one. Now a site loads and I have no choice but to enter username and password and let it load. The usernames and passwords are still stored in the browser, so that’s not the issue. The issue is that the cookies for those sites disappear. And no, it’s not my settings – that has been double- and triple-checked. Nope, it’s an AVG 8.0 bug, although no doubt they’ll call it a feature.
So now I’ve turned cookie checking off. Because, really, functionality is important, you know? Grisoft, are you listening? Well, probably not, but one can hope, right?
And to add insult to injury, there’s now a nag banner at the bottom of the AVG control panel whenever it’s open. It’s big, it’s obtrusive, and it’s ugly.
It’s at the point where I’m seriously considering switching to something else.
Umm, I’ve never run system scans on my own system with anti virus programs. If a virus starts executing the anti virus software will pick it up and halt it. So why go looking for such and decreasing the life of your hard drive.
Particularly amusing though is a CD from Microsoft Press book back in about 1998 or so with a virus on the CD.
I don’t usually run system scans, either – I run it much like you do. But it ran automatically while I was away cooking lunch. When I tried using my computer after lunch was over, that’s when I discovered it still running… And I left it running out of curiosity and then cursed it… Continually…
Yeah, I remember that Microsoft CD. 😀
OMG how appropriate, I just noticed yesterday how AVG was bogging down while I tried to work and run the scan at the same time. I know I used to be able to do that and now its just way too slow. Great blog post on something I was curious about.
I just upgraded to AVG 8.0, so I haven’t discovered all the glitches yet. I have mine set to scan at 4 in the morning to avoid dealing with slowdown, because I’ve usually had slow computers anyway. 😉 I did notice that their spyware software is now bundled with the regular AVG, maybe that’s causing part of the creep-alongs?