Avast is the new top antivirus! Arg.

2010-02-06T20:34:00.000-08:00

While most of you use the ICRA or CNET to determine the best Windows antivirus out there, some of which can leave traces of corrupt, vile files in your corral - or trails of sand like dirty slugs in your sandbox - I'm going to throw it out there and tell you the best antivirus out there, simply put, hands down, is Avast Antivirus.

I've been using Avast for years now, ever since I needed a cheap, reliable antivirus for my family's business - but now I have since come to see that the Avast underdog will have the greatest potential for 2010. Armed with a new brand, simpler interface, same versatility and it's ever-so familiar call to arms (Avast! matey... hardy har har lolol $%^&*&^) this program has filled nearly every void in the antivirus market respectfully, with merit and without a single OEM pre-install (ahem, Symantec, McAfee...).

For home users, Avast has been my preference due to the advanced features and free licensing for home use. While AVG Free was previously simpler to install and infinitely more recognizable, I learned early on that the big fishes in the antivirus pond are prone to have tiny teeth - including defects and expoits... and are easier to spot than the quiet fish no one sees coming from behind, carrying the really big torpedo.

Big torpedo, you ask? I mean amazing features. Well for starters let's review the basics: it has a scanner for nearly everything. Outlook is covered, as is your files, network, web browser, heuristics, email ports and more. By putting Avast in a "non-expert's" system you are giving them every tool, plainly listed, to kick a virus to the curb. But wait? You system is too overburdened by all these programs because they require too much of your valued processing, memory, etc.? Don't complain yet. With the ability to install only the basics - for instance, the realtime file scanner & scanner for Outlook - you have reduced the memory usage to something most people seek from ClamWin, however disastrous that may be (since it doesn't have a realtime scanner, people).

While most features are plainly obvious, some of the lesser-known abilities give Avast the upper hand by acknowledging user-needs over floral, frivolous fanfare. For instance, the new Avast 2010 includes easy free registration, and a silent/gaming mode which turns off all non-essential notifications, sounds, popups, etc. just in-case you ever decide to do something public with your pc - god forbid antivirus popups should be overshadowed by your important sales presentation - or to do something less essential, like get your W.o.W. on.

Another handy feature is Avast's notification service. A hidden treasure among antivirus features, it insures even the most aloof user can get fast assistance from someone they trust, be it a friend, coworker or even their local tech company. By allowing Avast to send email notifications to any email address when a virus or threat attacks, a pc can be protected by an outside source. Local tech companies love this because they can install it for free, and as soon as their customer gets a virus warning, the company knows it and can attack... sometimes even before the customer is aware.

For business users and the corporate world, you should like Avast for the simple reason that it streamlines everything - from monitoring, to central deployment, and more. And with volume licensing in a highly competitive price bracket, your IT Manager should be more than happy with approving the cost. The best part? With centralized updates, scheduled and realtime reporting and silent installations, your IT staff can finally focus on more productive tasks (like that moon-based laser you always dreamed of... or maybe x-ray vision).

So before you decide to upgrade AVG or subscribe to a - shiver - Symantec product, consider shoving off with Avast Free Home Edition, Avast Professional, Avast Linux, Avast Server Edition and the rest of the Alwil suite. Capt. Jack Sparrow would be proud, and so would I.

Avast can be downloaded free for home users at http://www.avast.com or purchased directly through my company, Devcor! Email me today.

Live From Clearwater, FL - Eric Bechtel

Avast is the new top antivirus! Arg.