"And AVG bogs the system done with updates, whereas AVG at least does updates on login/reboot that can be gotten out of the way quickly. "
That's another huge reason I cut ties with AVG, Keith. My mother's system needs updating every day through AVG. Gets annoying. On Tue, Aug 17, 2010 at 9:00 AM, Keith Johnson <keithbjohn...@comcast.net>wrote: > > > I did a lot of research on AVG vs. Avast recently in the course of working > on a friend's PC that was infected to the gills. AVG, to its credit, caught > a rootkit infection hidden in a .sys file that controls the PC's ability to > use TCP/IP--and hence, to network. Several other highly recommended programs > like Malwarebytes Anti-Malware and Super AntiSpyware missed it. But that > being said, I went with Avast as well for a more robust and configurable > system, and general acknowledgment by the experts that it's a better > anti-malware program. AVG is more popular, but Avast is better, from what > I've read. And AVG bogs the system done with updates, whereas AVG at least > does updates on login/reboot that can be gotten out of the way quickly. > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Martin Baxter" <martinbaxt...@gmail.com> > To: scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com > Sent: Tuesday, August 17, 2010 6:36:54 AM > Subject: Re: [scifinoir2] Free software can help with studies > > > > I'm tooting the horn for OpenOffice and avast! yet again, and advising one > and all to run from GoogleDocs as though it were plague-soaked. I tried it > once, and ended up with something so jumbled that it didn't resemble the > English language. And duck and run from AVG as well, unless you want > something that'll shred your computer. My mother had it on hers, and the > thing's toast now. An AVG run on her system takes close to forty minutes, > while avast! is less than five on mine, and my HD is twice hers. > > On Mon, Aug 16, 2010 at 6:55 PM, Mr. Worf <hellomahog...@gmail.com> wrote: > >> >> >> This article should be called "Alternatives to Microsoft software." >> Back to school: Free software can help with studies By RENÉ GUZMAN STAFF >> WRITER Aug. 15, 2010, 5:30PM >> *Share* >> [image: >> icon]Del.icio.us<http://del.icio.us/post?url=http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/life/main/7154537.html&title=Back%20to%20school:%20Free%20software%20can%20help%20with%20studies%20%7C%20Life%20%7C%20Chron.com%20-%20Houston%20Chronicle> >> [image: >> icon]Digg<http://digg.com/submit?phase=2&url=http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/life/main/7154537.html&title=Back%20to%20school:%20Free%20software%20can%20help%20with%20studies%20%7C%20Life%20%7C%20Chron.com%20-%20Houston%20Chronicle> >> [image: >> icon]Twitter<http://twitter.com/home?status=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chron.com%2Fdisp%2Fstory.mpl%2Flife%2Fmain%2F7154537.html%20-%20Back%20to%20school%3A%20Free%20software%20can%20help%20with%20studies%20%7C%20Life%20%7C%20Chron.com%20-%20Houston%20Chronicle> >> Yahoo! >> Buzz<http://buzz.yahoo.com/buzz?publisherurn=%2F*%3C%21%5BCDATA%5B*%2F%20houston_chron196&guid=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chron.com%2Fdisp%2Fstory.mpl%2Fbuzz%2F7154537.html%20%2F*%5D%5D%3E*%2F> >> [image: >> icon]Facebook<http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/life/main/7154537.html&t=Back%20to%20school:%20Free%20software%20can%20help%20with%20studies%20%7C%20Life%20%7C%20Chron.com%20-%20Houston%20Chronicle> >> [image: >> icon]StumbleUpon<http://www.stumbleupon.com/submit?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chron.com%2Fdisp%2Fstory.mpl%2Flife%2Fmain%2F7154537.html%26title%3DBack%20to%20school%3A%20Free%20software%20can%20help%20with%20studies%20%7C%20Life%20%7C%20Chron.com%20-%20Houston%20Chronicle> >> Email <http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/life/main/7154537.html#> >> Close [X] <http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/life/main/7154537.html#> >> >> Back to school means more than just hitting the books. It also means >> hitting the computer to bang out a term paper, create a PowerPoint-type >> presentation or simply go online to find out next week's assignments. >> >> Good thing the Web has plenty of free software to handle your course load. >> >> From word processing to image editing, you'll find a wealth of aptly named >> freeware that meets or even exceeds its commercial rivals when it comes to >> features and operability. And whether you download these freebies or just >> play with them online, they're sure to save you hundreds in software costs. >> (Trust us, we have the prices for some of the more popular software to prove >> it.) >> >> Here are a few must-have free programs to tackle your class work, whether >> you use a Mac or a PC. Freely. >> >> *Word processor office suite* >> >> *Instead of**: Microsoft Office**Home* and *Student 2010* ($149.99, >> Windows) and *Office 2008 for Mac Home* and *Student Edition* ($149.99) >> >> *Use: **AbiWord *(*abiword.com* <http://www.abiword.com/>), *OpenOffice.org >> *(*openoffice.org* <http://www.openoffice.org/>), *Google Docs *(* >> docs.google.com* <http://www.docs.google.com/>), *Zoho Writer *(* >> writer.zoho.com* <http://www.writer.zoho.com/>),* Zoho Sheet* (* >> sheet.zoho.com* <http://www.sheet.zoho.com/>), *Zoho Show* (* >> show.zoho.com* <http://www.show.zoho.com/>) >> >> "For a basic word processor — something you can write complex and >> multipage reports with - *AbiWord* is a fairly strong option," says Seth >> Rosenblatt, senior associate editor for the tech-resource site CNET. This >> downloadable program is super simple to use and saves documents in myriad >> formats, including Microsoft Word (.doc) and Office Open XML (.docx). >> >> If you'd rather keep your essays in the cloud, you can't beat the online >> word processors *Google Docs* and *Zoho Writer*. Both let you access >> documents anywhere you have a Web connection (computer or smartphone), >> import and export documents, and share documents online with real-time >> collaboration just like a study group within a screen. >> >> Need more than word processing? Rosenblatt recommends you download the >> productivity suite *openoffice.org <http://www.openoffice.org/>*. "We're >> talking about something that is designed to completely replicate or >> replicate as closely as possible, the toolset that comes in Microsoft >> Office," he says, "but you don't have to pay for it." >> >> OpenOffice.org lets you write with *Writer*, design spreadsheets with * >> Calc*, craft presentations with* Impress*, play with graphics with *Draw*and >> make a database with >> *Base*. OpenOffice.org reads and writes most file formats, including >> those common to Microsoft Office. For similar office elements online, try >> Google Docs and Zoho productivity apps *Zoho Sheet *for spreadsheets and >> *Zoho Show *for presentations. >> >> *Image editing* >> >> *Instead of:**Adobe Photoshop Elements 8 *($99.99) or *Adobe Photoshop >> CS5 12* ($699.99) >> >> *Use:**Photoscape* (*photoscape.org* <http://www.photoscape.org/>), >> Windows),* Paint.NET* (*getpaint.net* <http://www.getpaint.net/>), >> Windows),* Phoenix *(*aviary.com* <http://www.aviary.com/>, choose Image >> Editor), *Picnik *(*picnik.com* <http://www.picnik.com/>), *GIMP* (* >> gimp.org* <http://www.gimp.org/>) >> >> Whether you need to add visual aids to your book report or just zap the >> red eye from your study-buddy snapshots, you can't beat the image editor >> *Paint.NET*. The Web info blog *MakeUsOf.com* >> <http://www.makeusof.com/>highlights this free Windows-only download, and >> it's easy to see why. >> Paint.NET sports a very intuitive user interface and strong features >> including layers, unlimited undo history and special effects such as >> blurring and color control. Rosenblatt also recommends the Windows-only * >> Photoscape*. >> >> Mac users can get in on the free image play, too. According to Rosenblatt, >> *GIMP* (GNU Image Manipulation Program) may have the worst name, but it's >> the best free download for Mac, Windows and Linux users who need a complex >> program just as good as Photoshop. >> >> And don't forget Web-based photo editors such as *Picnik *and Aviary's * >> Phoenix.* Rosenblatt notes sites including *Facebook *and *Flickr* also >> offer basic image-editing options. Just upload your image and tweak away. >> >> *Illustration & Web design* >> >> *Instead of: **Adobe Illustrator CS5 15* ($599.99 for Windows/Mac) and *Adobe >> Dreamweaver CS5 11 *($399.99 for Windows/Mac) >> >> *Use:** Inkscape* (*inkscape.org* <http://www.inkscape.org/>), *Raven *(* >> aviary.com* <http://www.aviary.com/>, choose Vector Editor), *KompoZer* ( >> *kompozer.net* <http://www.kompozer.net/>) >> >> When you need to hit the digital drawing board, do it with *Inkscape*. >> Make UseOf.com notes this downloadable 2-D vector graphics editor supports >> all of the standard drawing features, including curves, lines and freehand >> drawing. For online illustration, Rosenblatt again points to Aviary, this >> time its *Raven* app. >> >> To create and edit Web pages, MakeUseOf.com likes *KompoZer* for its >> decidedly website 101 dynamic. The webpage program delivers WYSIWYG (What >> You See Is What You Get) editing mode and supports XML, CSS and JavaScript. >> >> *Internet security* >> >> *Instead of**:**Norton AntiVirus 2010 *($39.99, Windows) >> >> *Use: **avast! Free Antivirus* (*avast.com* <http://www.avast.com/>, >> Windows), *Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware* >> (*malwarebytes.org*<http://www.malwarebytes.org/>, >> Windows), *AVG LinkScanner for Mac >> *(*linkscanner.avg.com*<http://www.linkscanner.avg.com/>, >> Mac), *Web of Trust* (*mywot.com* <http://www.mywot.com/>) >> >> The best free defense against spyware and other online evils? Smarter Web >> surfing. "Surfing from site to site, blindly clicking on links without being >> cautious is really stupid," Rosenblatt says. "You might as well go out and >> play in traffic, Web-wise." >> >> That said, there are free security options to help you look both ways >> before clicking.* Malwarebytes* and *avast! *offer free trial versions of >> their respective antivirus software for Windows users, and *AVG >> LinkScanner for Mac *checks websites before they open. >> >> Rosenblatt also recommends you update your Web browser to its latest >> version and run it with* WOT*,or *Web of Trust. *This community-based >> add-on uses a stoplight color scale to rate sites for safety. (Green means >> trusted, yellow means caution, and red means steer clear.) WOT works with >> various browsers, including Internet Explorer, Firefox, Google Chrome and >> Safari. >> >> Here's your homework: Use this freeware to make your back-to-school >> experience an easier, cheaper one. >> >> *rguz...@express-news.net* >> >> >> -- >> Celebrating 10 years of bringing diversity to perversity! >> Mahogany at: >> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/mahogany_pleasures_of_darkness/ >> > > > > -- > "If all the world's a stage and we are merely players, who the bloody hell > wrote the script?" -- Charles E Grant > > http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQUxw9aUVik > > > -- "If all the world's a stage and we are merely players, who the bloody hell wrote the script?" -- Charles E Grant http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQUxw9aUVik
