Here comes version 8.0 of AVG Anti-Virus Free!

Alex Zaharov-Reutt
Thursday, 24 April 2008 08:21

Opinion and Analysis

Arguably the world’s most popular free anti-virus software, Grisoft’s AVG, has just been upgraded, set for free download from Friday, the 25th of April. We’re sure AVG’s servers are about to get hammered even harder as millions of AVG 7.5 users take advantage of the new version!

Although AVG offers, like many other security companies, an ‘Internet Security Suite’ that offers anti-virus, anti-malware/spyware, anti-spam, anti-keylogger, firewall and other protections, AVG is probably best well known amongst general computer users for its excellent free anti-virus program, AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition. 

Although the company behind AVG used to be known as Grisoft, the popularity of AVG has seen the company change its name to AVG Technologies – a clever move, as the Grisoft name isn’t as snappy or as easy to remember as AVG.

And despite AVG in lower case (avg) being a recognised acronym for ‘average’, there’s nothing average about the Eastern European security software maker – its software wouldn’t be so popular otherwise, free or not.

Anyway, back to AVG’s new version Anti-Virus Free Edition 8.0. It provides “basic protection against viruses and spyware, together with the real-time safe-searching protection of the company’s “LinkScanner technology”, incorporated into the new AVG Security Toolbar”.

As AVG notes, probably in an attempt to get you to consider upgrading to one of its paid products, the free version “does not include the proactive safe-surfing (“drive-by download” protection) of the full LinkScanner module that is included in the commercial AVG products, nor the protection against hackers, keyloggers, spam, phishing attacks and malicious file downloads that can come through instant messaging and attachments from seemingly friendly sources.”

But even so, it’s still a very worthy anti-virus download, and if you want to craft your own free security suite, you can add Spybot’s Search and Destroy software which gets rid of spyware and malware, along with ZoneAlarm’s free firewall available here.

That said, cobbling together your own security suite isn’t as easy as just getting one all-in-one solution from any of the security vendors.

The free product also does not include the local telephone support and round-the-clock e-mail support provided with the commercial products, but AVG does host a local website and forum for user-driven support.

So, who officially qualifies to download the free version – and who doesn’t? And where can you download it from? Please read onto page 2.