Antivirus differences

[Mrcomputer]

What is the key feature differences between Avast Home 4.7 and the free for life Comodo Antivirus? Which will protect my computer better in the long run?

[alanrf]

I have to wonder if you are really expecting an unbiased response in this forum or just trying to get a knee-jerk reaction from avast users.

While I am very happy to be a supporter of avast ... I clearly do not use the Comodo product at the same time as I use avast ... to try to do so would be foolish.  However, I am not about to slander a product I have never used.  I am also not so shortsighted as to claim avast is the very best av product available ... but that's why so many of us are here in this forum ... to help it on the way to attaining that position.   

Your time might be better spent elsewhere.

[justin1278]

Hi,

Comodo Antivirus and avast! Home are both free, I like avast! because of its flexability. Also if I were going to change to Comodo in the near future I would wait about a year for Comodo to get their detections. Also you should consider that the current Comodo Antivirus product is only a beta but not the full product so at this time I would definitely go with avast!

P.S. I personaly like avast! for antivirus but I really like Comodo Personal Firewall.

[alanrf]

In other words ... still no users of Comodo antivirus.

[Vlk]

The problem with Comodo is that it's still not ready for the primetime. In other words, it doesn't detect much.

E.g. IBK (the owner of well-known testing site www.av-comparatives.org) recently conducted an unofficial test of Comodo AV, and here are the results:

http://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=130055&page=3 (see his post #64).

The general consensus is that it would take years to get Comodo to a level where the mature AV products are (including avast).


Thanks
Vlk

[ardvark]

I have to wonder if you are really expecting an unbiased response in this forum or just trying to get a knee-jerk reaction from avast users.

While I am very happy to be a supporter of avast ... I clearly do not use the Comodo product at the same time as I use avast ... to try to do so would be foolish.  However, I am not about to slander a product I have never used.  I am also not so shortsighted as to claim avast is the very best av product available ... but that's why so many of us are here in this forum ... to help it on the way to attaining that position.   

Your time might be better spent elsewhere.

Take a look again at your response to Mrcomputer and ask yourself how welcomed you would have felt if that were you.
Whether his question was innocent or intentionally "loaded," that's no way to treat people, including newcomers to this forum.
I consider this site very hospitable compared to others out there and I'd like it to stay that way.

Lighten up

[alanrf]

I have.

I am content with my post.

For any of you who have been here long enough ... I now regret any posts I ever made in my early days that were critical of Eddy - a fine contributor to this forum.

For ardvark - I will bite my tongue - and hope that you stay here for a long time and be as welcoming as you are today. 

This is one of the best forums around - long may it remain so.

[neal62]

Oh, do I remember Eddy. Miss him. 

[alanrf]

Vlk,

I hate general consensus ... in a previous life, because I did, I put my corporate money behind a startup called Trend Micro.  Maybe not the best bet ever but not the worst. 

I am a supporter of avast ... I still want you guys to be the best ... but I hope the Comodo folks will, much sooner than you think, have you looking over your shoulder.

BTW how many years did it take for avast to get to the place where mature AV products are?   

[RejZoR]

As Vlk said, Comodo is still not exactly ready. Mainly because it seriously lacks unpacking capabilities and some sort of emulator (from what i managed to see it misses all more complex viruses and worms).
So i'd recommend avast! because it's certanly far more advanced in these areas, plus it's build on already proven and solid engine.

[alanrf]

I cannot disagree with anything said about Comodo so far in this thread ... but if I recall it was only less than year before I started to use avast that folks were saying much the same about it.

Let's hear a lot more about why avast is so far ahead rather than why Comodo is so far behind.  avast is a great product ... knocking another startup is hardly the way to promote avast. 

[Vlk]

Let's hear a lot more about why avast is so far ahead rather than why Comodo is so far behind.  avast is a great product ... knocking another startup is hardly the way to promote avast.

I'm not knocking anyone, I sort of liked Comodo (felt that it was no bad) BEFORE I saw IBK's results. My post was all about IBK's test, that's it. Other than that, I don't know anything about Comodo, really.

BTW how many years did it take for avast to get to the place where mature AV products are?   

About 15?

But the truth is that about 10 years ago, avast had a much *better* reputation than it has now. It was truly one of the best AV's in the world. But then came avast32 v2 and v3, and it all went bad...


But again, looking at IBK's numbers, I don't think it's POSSIBLE to get say above 85% (which is I think IBK's requirement to appear in the regular tests) anytime sooner than in say 2 years...


Cheers
Vlk

[RejZoR]

Vlk, i know from talking with their CEO (at least he's honest and i resect that ). They support only 2 unpackers so far (they are working on more as we speak). Mike was also explaining something about problems with polymorphic/metamorphic viruses which are quiet a problem for Comodo (and some other commercial AVs!). New Comodo update should be avaialble sometime soon if it wasn't already. At least they were promising it.
We'll see how Comodo works in later tests made by IBK...

[ardvark]

I have.

I am content with my post.

For any of you who have been here long enough ... I now regret any posts I ever made in my early days that were critical of Eddy - a fine contributor to this forum.

For ardvark - I will bite my tongue - and hope that you stay here for a long time and be as welcoming as you are today. 

This is one of the best forums around - long may it remain so.

I've reread both of our posts together and I think perhaps I'm the one to bite my tongue. I believe I've misunderstood your tone and context of your words.

By your comment "Your time might be better spent elsewhere,"
at the time I felt it was another way of saying "get lost." I think what you really meant was, "I don't think you will get an impartial answer here."

Either way, I admit I reacted too quickly and didn't bother to first verify what you meant with you before I let my temper do the talking. For that, I offer you my sincere apology

Best Regards...

[Lisandro]

But the truth is that about 10 years ago, avast had a much *better* reputation than it has now. It was truly one of the best AV's in the world. But then came avast32 v2 and v3, and it all went bad...

I really cannot believe in these words... I'm surprised, very surprised...
You've grow up, have a lot of customers, a very large users database... The program needs improvements (as all others)... what's wrong? Can't you hire more people and make it better?
Or this was just a sad day for you Vlk... your words surprise me in a sad way...  :'(

I don't think it's POSSIBLE to get say above 85% (which is I think IBK's requirement to appear in the regular tests) anytime sooner than in say 2 years...

Are you giving up?