Help shape the next Antivirus Review in CPU Magazine...

[llama]

All,

Well, I've been assigned a treat: I have 6 weeks to write a 3500 word head-to-head review of security suite software for CPU Magazine. Normally reviews are of just one or two products at a time, and I normally only have a couple of weeks to do it, so this is a little rare, but I'm totally looking forward to having the chance to be thorough.

Now then.

Over the years I've been reading comments about AV software reviews in magazines that basically boil down to either:

"These reviews suck because..."
or
"These reviews can't be trusted because..."
or
"These reviews never tell me what I really care about, which is..."

Now normally I don't have the time to get philosophical with potential readers about articles, but this time I actually do.

So here's your chance: tell me what you want to see in a Security Software Suite review. Tell me why you don't think such reviews are any good. Tell me what it would take for you (yes, *YOU*) to trust what you read in such a review.

I'm not saying I can address everything everyone says, but I'd like to know what you think before I start writing and testing, and maybe I can make this article something you'd want to read.

Please post comments here.

Thanks,
Llama

[Skuzzy]

Microsoft supposedly supplies an API for AV programs to use in Vista and Windows 7.  How many are using it?
What system files and DLL's get replaced by the installation of these programs?
What system registry entries get changed?
When they are removed from the system, how much is left to do to actually get your computer back to pre-install levels?
How much overhead do they incur when running (memory footprint, activity...)?


You manage to answer all that llama, and I will be the first in line to read it.  Good luck.  I'll still never use one of those viruses, but I like to keep on top of them so I can answer questions.

[Denholm]

I personally think people complain about the articles because 1. It didn't rate their software as the best, and 2. Because they think they know it all.

I myself would like to know some of what Skuzzy mentioned, I'd also like to know what special features some of the AV machines contain which make them, "unique."

[BaldEagl]

Here's a few to add to Skuzzy's list:

How much impact to they have not only when running but when idle including actively scanning, active real-time protection and "completely" shut down.  How do various portions of he suite impact this?

How easy are portions of, or the entire suite to turn off.  Can it be done within the interface or does it have to be done through windows processes? Does it still pop-up warnings (i.e. "You're computer is not protected").  If turned off does it re-enable itself upon re-boot?

After a major update (program, not definition files), does it default to fully or partially enabled or default to it's previous user settings? (unless there's a major update during your testing or you can start with an older version and update it I doubt you'll be able to include this one).

How often do the auto updaters attempt to access the Internet and how do they affect available bandwidth?

That should keep you busy.   

[Enker]

Many teenagers nowadays ask this*:

Will this keep the family computer free of spyware and viruses from porn/hentai sites?

Will it get in the way of my pr0n surfing?



*surveyed friends from school.

[Fulmar]

What type of performance/FPS hits are taken in a game?

[eagl]

How about including some corporate editions?

[OOZ662]

Will this keep the family computer free of spyware and viruses from porn/hentai sites?
Will it get in the way of my pr0n surfing?
*surveyed friends from school.

You need to meet one of these.

[Vulcan]

How about including some corporate editions?

Yup that too. And why do some corporate editions have better features than retail editions (*cough* mcafee).

I'd also like to see you look at how good personal firewalls really are. Especially when people 'tune' them down for file sharing/printing/etc on LANs, or if they're behind a $20 NAT router.

[Enker]

You need to meet one of these.
(Image removed from quote.)

See, I already have one. My friends are all pretty much hopeless, save for one guy from Mexico. My friends are almost all nerds, except for a few girls, but still!

[llama]

Thanks guys - keep them coming!

Regarding corporate editions: a great idea that's been nixed by my editor, who argues that most readers aren't easily able to purchase corporate editions, or that corporate editions aren't cost-efficient for the small amounts of computers that our readers are likely to own (10 computers versus 100 computers).

I consider these completely reasonable arguments, and will therefore be focusing on retail products.

-Llama

[Fulmar]

Related to my first question:
Performance tests on various applications.  Photoshop filters, compressing files, transfering of files, synthetic benchmarks etc.

[trax1]

Are you going to be reviewing only retail antivirus programs, or will you be reviewing the free ones as well?

One thing I'd like to see mentioned in a review that I don't think I've ever really seen mentioned is the speed at which the program can do a full & complete scan of your HD(80gigs or so), which ones are the fastest, and which ones are the slowest.

[715]

Can it "reach" all files?  Whenever I read the log of scans by my copy of NOD32 it appears to list a bunch of files it didn't scan because they are in use, or locked, or password protected (i.e. zip files), or certain system files.  Maybe I'm misunderstanding the log, but if it skips files wouldn't that be a way for viruii to hide from it?  Of course, maybe no AV product can reach those files?