License/Redistribution Q

[rittenhr]

Can we give a copy of Avast home to our students for their personal use in the Residence Halls (their "home").

Like many universities we've been hit pretty hard by the increase in worms/etc. Many students arrive oncampus with infected computers. We would like to be able to give them some protective SW for antivirus and the like. Can we give them a copy of Avasrt home? (They would still need to register, etc)

Again, this is for the students personal use, not campus computers (altho if we like it you never know    ).

We currently give them the freeav product but I think Avast is better.

BTW: if anyone else is in a similar position:  for firewalls the only free and redistributable one I found  is Outpost.

[Vlk]

I think the question here is whether these are students' personal computers or rather school's?

I mean, it they were students' own, there would be no problem (that's similar to notebook users -- they're not exactly always 'home' users as they are mobile, but they use the computer for their own, private, non-commercial work/fun).

not campus computers (altho if we like it you never know    ).

It's probably worth noting that we can give as much as 50% off for EDU licenses.

Vlk

[Lisandro]

In the licensing scheme of avast! there are two conditions which qualify the user for free non-limited usage of our avast! 4 Home:
First, it must be the home usage - so any organizations (non-profit or commercial) are disqualified.
The second condition says that there should not be any commercial activity done on the computer which is to be protected by avast! - i.e. if somebody use it to make some profit, will also do not qualify for avast! Home usage, even on the computer at his/her home.
So both conditions should be met for free program! The rules are clear: Home and non-commercial use. Alwil Software must earn some money from the rest of the user community to be able to develop and maintain their products.

Anyway, if they exclude you from the free version, you can always contact sales@avast.com and ask for some a discount there and try to get some quite reasonable price!

If I'm not wrong, for the second (and every following) year you will need the subscription which is the fraction of original price - and you will get updates for all new versions... The homepage says it all. On the first line is the price of the product, on the second line is the price of the following subscription. This subscription (called AVS - Antivirus Service) is explained lower on the page: paid from the 2nd year, includes all updates and technical support. It means that the AVS for the first year is included in the product price, after the first year there is yearly subscription which cover all updates (both virus database and program - even the major version change) and support.

[Lisandro]

BTW: if anyone else is in a similar position:  for firewalls the only free and redistributable one I found  is Outpost.

The majority of the free firewall have the same redistribution scheme as avast!, i.e., ZoneAlarm: both home and non-commercial useage.

If we are talking about the students' computers, why don't they themselves take care of their security?  

[rittenhr]

I think the question here is whether these are students' personal computers or rather school's?

I mean, it they were students' own, there would be no problem (that's similar to notebook users -- they're not exactly always 'home' users as they are mobile, but they use the computer for their own, private, non-commercial work/fun).
 

They are the students' own computers so I reckon we're OK then.

This might also be a promotional opportunity for your company -- there are a lot of schools that have had similar issues.

 I'll also pass the discount info on to our Computer Services people  for their consideration.

[rittenhr]

BTW: if anyone else is in a similar position:  for firewalls the only free and redistributable one I found  is Outpost.

The majority of the free firewall have the same redistribution scheme as avast!, i.e., ZoneAlarm: both home and non-commercial useage.

Same licensing scheme. Redistribution is different.

The idea is when students arrive at the res hall, before we allow them to plug their computers into the network, we need to make sure that they are clean.

If they don't have installed up to date protective software then we give them a CD with the SW they need and have them install. Some folk (freeav, apparently Avast and Outpost) let us do that. Others insist that the students themselves download their SW which the students can't do because we won't let them on the network.

If we are talking about the students' computers, why don't they themselves take care of their security?  

We could also wipe their systems and install Linux  

[.: Mac :.]

when I went to college I had to fight to get on the network!!!!!!
they would not let me use my MAC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
when they saw there was no way I would use windows they gave in.
One win for all Mac users.

[.: Mac :.]

We could also wipe their systems and install Linux  

Mac OS X IS built off of UNIX. This greatly improved how stable the OS was. In Our review we urged everyone with OS 9 to upgrade to benifit from this.
Do you have many Mac users?

[rittenhr]

We could also wipe their systems and install Linux  

Mac OS X IS built off of Linux. This greatly improved how stable the OS was. In Our review we urged everyone with OS 9 to upgrade to benifit from this.
Do you have many Mac users?

OS X is a BSD, actually. It is reputed to be really sweet. We have one small Mac Lab (fine arts, MMA). Don't know what they do for AntiVirus -- probably not much of a problem.

[.: Mac :.]

to date there are just over 500 mac viruses. Virus deffinition file are made once a month only 4 mac viruses have been reported widespread In the wild
Mac is sweet indeed
It is linux rewritten to make a SWEET OS and I would never use anything less. My Gateway laptop is only For work which I test networking applications built into mac to see if they will work on a windows network.

BTW: OS X has a small built in firewall like Win XP. we tested and is actually weaker than the XP one  :'(

[.: Mac :.]

oops its UNIX not linux its built from sorry i changed my post.
From apple.com

Mac OS X is a super-modern operating system that delivers the power of UNIX with the simplicity and elegance of the Macintosh.

[Vlk]

Guys, your getting a bit off-topic so if you want to further discuss Mac OS internals (or other stuff like that) please be so kind and move to the General Topics forum.

Thanks
Vlk

[.: Mac :.]

sorry. I get carried away when the subject is mac