Does Avast! possibly slow down web-surfing?

[DharmaDear]

Hello Forum-

I have a free version of Avast! (version 7.0.1451, just update today), and am wondering, based on the default settings in it, if perhaps it is slowing down my web-surfing on IE8.  I see that little organge ball just a twirling and a twirling, when I enter a web address that I want to go to.  It's so slow sometimes, I could take a nap waiting for the page to load, as well as scrolling down the page, and going from page to page on a website, once it's loaded.  I understand that there can be other causes of slow Internet surfing, but am starting here, in case it is THE cause, or a partial possible cause.  And yes, I clean my web Hx, cookies, visited sites, etc., regularly. I also just ran CCleaner, in case that would help.
If someone thinks some settings in Avast! may be the cause, I would like to know if you know what settings I can change, while still keeping my computer secure, that might speed up Internet surfing.

Your advice/help would be appreciated!

Thank you,
Dharma

[true indian]

IE is anyways slow...I recommend chrome 

No fault on avast really..

[Para-Noid]

Try http://filehippo.com/download_google_chrome/
Or http://filehippo.com/download_firefox/12584/

Quite a number use Firefox or Chrome. Firefox is more configurable and safer (IMHO).
Both have a lot of add-ons/extensions. 

[DharmaDear]

Thanks for your reply Para-Noid!  See my last post to Indian.  I asked q's about Chrome's virtues, or not!  I tried Firefox and didn't like it.  I'm a girl, so I like all my gadgets and esp. my pretty beach scene at the top of my Homepage on i Google!  :O  D  Oh wait, I could use Firefox with an iGoogle Homepage couldn't I?

[!Donovan]

Hi DharmaDear,

It is your opinion on which browser you choose. I prefer Firefox due to its customizing and add-ons; but it may be easier to keep IE8.

Does Avast! possibly slow down web-surfing?

No, avast! should not slow down web surfing drastically.

[DharmaDear]

Thanks guys!!!!!

[Arnold72]

yes avast will slow down surfing slightly because it uses a web shield and web shields naturally slow things down as they scan the traffic.

[DavidR]

I see no noticeable difference in browsing, with or without the web shield enabled,

I don't browse with a stopwatch running.

[Arnold72]

oddly and to be fair ive actually noticed my browsing is faster with the web shield enabled.again ive personally never noticed any form of slowdown with avast.

[Dch48]

Are you on Windows XP? If you're not, and using Vista or Windows 7, you should get IE9. It's much faster than 8 and more secure. Unfortunately, you can't have it in XP.

[c0mpute]

Just remember that for those of you who recommend chrome as a browser.. that is is made by Google and your privacy is not exactly private and everyone knows that everyone else wants to know every little thing you do and say on the internet.. ( Alas my friends i refer back to a youtube video from Supernews called the google toilet..) .. lmao...

[c0mpute]

Try http://filehippo.com/download_google_chrome/
Or http://filehippo.com/download_firefox/12584/

Quite a number use Firefox or Chrome. Firefox is more configurable and safer (IMHO).
Both have a lot of add-ons/extensions. 

I find as good as Firefox is.. it cant handle add-ons and plug-ins as good as the creators have boasted .. I find there is always some sort of problem either with Flash loading or some other kind of movie.. or even with addons just below the address bar..
Personaly.. from my own experiances with browsers would be this
1) IE 7 or 8 even with the instabilities and crashes you get from it. (Re: when multible tabs/web pages are open in the one browser)
2) Firefox.. Its more stable and does have a lot of advantages over IE, Though still has those problems with addons ect...
3) Google Chrome is something i would never touch.. not even take it into consideration with the privacy policies of google inc itself .. plus other factors that if you cant trust your information to be private.. ranging from your contacts on an andriod smart phone to every website you visit and log into either pc or phone.. You volentary give your info for free just for them to sell it?... No thanks

[DharmaDear]

I specifically hunted down an option in Google, that allowed me to "opt out" of them using some my info (i.e., selling it to 3rd parties, etc), as much as Google would let me opt out of, to reduce the loss of my privacy to, I'm sure,  a small degree.  But frankly, I'm getting tired of Google, because EVERY SINGLE TIME I get on the Net now, I have to log in to see my Homepage, and even then, it's jacked up with pop-ups warning me that iGoogle will be no more in November.
I didn't like Firefox, but it's been a long time, so don't remember why I didn't like it.  I think maybe it was too simplistic for me- not enough gadgets/preferences, etc.
I don't get crashes on IE8 too often, thankfully, even with multiple tabs open.
Do you know anything about Opera or Safari? And pardon my confusion, but sometimes I don't know whether what I'm referring to a browser when I whine about my troubles, or just a Homepage I use...I know IE is a browser, but not Google right?  And I believe that Opera and Safari are browsers, yes?    )

Thanks fer yer inpute on matters!
Dharma

[Dch48]

While my preferred browser has always been IE, every version since 4, I would take Chrome over Firefox any day. I hate the download interface, the favorites management, and cookie handling of Firefox. IE excels in all three areas for me and I don't like the bookmark bar in Chrome at all. I have always thought that the fact that you have to have a group of addons to make FF as secure as IE or Chrome are out of the box to be a joke. I have tried every version of FF since it started and none have lasted more than a half hour on my machines.

You shouldn't have to log in every time to a home page if you have saved the cookie for it. I use CCleaner for my cookie deletion and management and I choose the ones I want to keep which are login cookies to homepages and forums like this one.

I use Chrome primarily on XP because it's faster than IE8 but I really don't like doing it. IE9 is the best browser out there in my opinion and I'm waiting to see how 10 does in Win 7.