So, what will we have? Just an antivirus with the antispyware just for 30 day trial?
Not that we recommend AVG that much, but we will have another argument to go away from it? (besides the poor support, the 'boxes' interface, etc.).
Tech
None of AVG 8.0 Free features are timelimited in any way
despite numerous rumours to contrary.
AVG 8.0 Free seems to be getting a hard time on the support forum, most complaining about:
High impact on PC speed, higher RAM footprint (which we know is partly an illusion because AVG 7.5 real-time scanner was "hidden" inside the Windows kernel),
Lack of choice of components to install and subsequent configurability,
Overall change of approach from light, fast, straightforward AVG 7.5, to cumbersome, slow, complicated & "dumbed-down" AVG 8.0,
Inclusion of "Security (Yahoo) Toolbar",
High bandwidth consumption and lag of Link Scanner.
Now it's hard to know how generally representative these responses are. It could be that the "silent majority" of AVG 7.5 users are satisfied with the impact that new AVG 8.0 is having on their PC use. Part of the panic seems to be caused by AVG "publicity". Many users have reported warning message that AVG Free 7.5 support will cease on 31/05/2008 when in fact the correct date is 31/12/2008.
Funny thing is, the few people I know who have the retail version, AVG 8.0 Pro (or Internet Security) are happy with it. Mind you, all but one are commercial users whose employees have no say in the choice of AV, and all have relatively current PC hardware. They like the idea that it checks so many areas that "nothing" will get through because if something did it means downtime and expense because they can't deal with it themselves. This is what started me thinking a little philosophically about why people might be complaining so strongly about a free product!
It seems to me that the components and configurability of AVG 8.0 Free have been decided based on the assumption that users of a free AV are not as discerning or are less-demanding in regard to security software than paid users, when I would argue than in many cases the opposite is true.
The key feature of AVG 7.5 that attracted discening users was its low system impact. That's gone in 8.0 and with it, the attraction for the PC enthusiast.