It's generally not recommended to install many antivirus on a windows machine, since they often appear to grow roots and thus become very hard to remove cleanly. Ashampoo also has a reputation of requiring email registration and bombarding the account with spam. With that said, Norton had improved a lot over the last year. If you would like to use a more permanent freeware solution, Comodo and PC Tools both have all-in-one security suites.

I use Norton Security Suite (free for Comcast internet customers). It is Norton 360 without the 2 gb of storage online. It is a good program. Though when I couldn't pay my bill for over a month Norton worked for about a couple weeks. Then Norton disabled itself till I got Comcast back.

mikiem2 Q:started with 180 days A:No 1 Year and Give a way is 180 days so say search engine the AntiSpyware is good got the old one and work well as for the Antivirus don't know hard to find a test on it found some old test have a look & see if you like can get pdf on Ashampoo Internet Security
http://antivirus.about.com/od/antivirussoftwarereviews/a/antivirustests.htm
https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/List_of_antivirus_software

av-compatives.org & Antivirus Test's
http://www.av-comparatives.org/ (independent Test no kick back)
http://www.av-comparatives.org/en/comparativesreviews/retrospective-test
http://www.av-comparatives.org/en/comparativesreviews/false-alarm-tests
http://www.av-comparatives.org/en/comparativesreviews/single-product-reviews Emsisoft Anti-Malware 5.1.0.4Report.pdf (english)
http://www.virus.gr/portal/en/
http://www.anti-malware-test.com/
http://www.av-test.org/
http://www.microsoft.com/security/portal/Shared/AwardsAndCertifications.aspx
http://www.eicar.org/anti_virus_test_file.htm
http://malwareresearchgroup.com/
http://www.virusbtn.com/index
http://www.virusbtn.com/vb100/latest_comparative/index
http://www.virusbtn.com/vb100/archive/test?recent=1
http://www.techrepublic.com/blog/products/review-ashampoo-anti-malware-application/1506
http://download.cnet.com/Ashampoo-Anti-Malware/3000-8022_4-10498466.html
http://www.softpedia.com/reviews/windows/Ashampoo-Anti-Malware-Review-136140.shtml

The official successor of Ashampoo AntiSpyWare and Ashampoo AntiVirus has been developed from scratch and combines the best of both technologies all in one solution.

Miscellaneous:
Please note that other anti-virus software installed on your computer might cause conflicts and should therefore be removed. For best results no other anti-virus application should be installed in addition to Ashampoo Anti-Malware.

RE: License:

Well, there seems to be a lack of clarity?

I'll 2nd that, with the opinion that the whole thing seemed a bit poorly thought out -- I don't know if they started with 180 days & the GOTD team intervened on our behalf, &/or if someone doing the code for the updates simply muddled through to come up with something so they could go home. That you apparently need to update before activating or updates won't work is pretty poor in my book, but oh well...

My own 2 cents, FWIW of course...

1st question is what are you willing to put up with LeetZero? There are several free solutions, but for example you might only be able to update once a day or something, or with Microsoft's Security Essentials you do without a Firewall or several other features that were included in their pay product (before they pulled it off the market). Other AV packages might ask you to put up with a pretty heavy load on your PC/laptop, some are not intuitive at all, especially if you set the firewall Not to let everything pass. Some are prone to false positives, though their fans often seem to think that's evidence that they work. :-) Comparisons on this site might be helpful: http://www.av-test.org/en/tests/test-reports/ , & there's always shadowserver.org, with lots of real-time stats on what's stopping what malware how well.

Normally I'd include a caution on how difficult it can be to remove all traces of an AV installation -- it can go beyond just files & registry entries, e.g. CA once set the HKCR section of Windows' registry to protected!... I could add new apps/entries, but any update/upgrade would fail till I figured out what happened. But the Ashampoo app sits on top of Windows more-or-less, without all the effects you'll get with most AV software.

At any rate, I'll sum it up saying that if there's something better rated that you'll actually use, rather than set minimal security so you don't have to bother, get it -- I've seen most all of the big names [including Norton] on sale for as low as $0 after MIR. There are probably some comparisons out there, but I've never seen Emsi or Ashampoo AM rated alongside the competition -- I would think if they performed respectably they'd be handing copies out to every AV testing site possible.

Allow me to quibble a bit with your wording "is Ashampoo worth to install today over Norton?"

I have no comment on Ashampoo but if you decide to move away from Norton then run the program's uninstall routine, then run the Norton Removal Tool, then run the Ashampoo install routine. You should never install another product "over" a Norton product as Norton products have a well-deserved reputation for not uninstalling cleanly, which causes serious performance problems for your system. While the other products will theoretically uninstall Norton during their installation it's an extremely bad idea to allow them to do so.

WR, I'm afraid I have to correct you. This Ashampoo giveaway is NOT a full years license:

This version includes 180 days signature updates.

graylox

-------------------EDIT-----------------------------------------------

Another correction - ooooops :)

Just read BuBBy's comment # 6

@5 – John R . Ashampoo AntiMalware includes 180 days (6 months) signature updates.

edit: (after installing the giveaway) It seems the signature updates are a little more generous than 6 months.

Free Signature Updates are available until 24-Feb-2018 (2381 days).
http://img651.imageshack.us/img651/6641/20110819210207.png
Comment by BuBBy — August 19th, 2011 at 3:46 am
Did you find this comment useful? yes | no (
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Well, there seems to be a lack of clarity?

I didn't install this programme, don't want to mess up my installed Kaspersky suite, so I have no experience with this giveaway.
Maybe there will be a comment by the developer or GOTD ref. the license.

graylox

Ashampoo have been around for a long time and generally have a good standing. Some say their products aren't as good as they used to be, but that's just opinion. I'd go check the comparison sites to see where they stand, but if push comes to shove with only 30 days left on your Norton trial it would seem prudent to install the software offered today. It's a full years licence so you don't need to go chapping and changing every few months. Not all of those free demos are going to be good. At least with Ashampoo you're getting an established name. Go for it (IMO) - you can always delete it later if you're not happy then return to your round of demo's

Hello.

Right yesterday Norton reached 30 days of trial, having only 60 days left (60-day trial from a CD that came with my computer).

What's your opinion? Should I wait another 30 days and get another trial of an antivirus or get Ashampoo Internet Security since today's a giveaway of it? I am not really sure how much I'd trust Ashampoo, never really heard of them as an antivirus.

I'd like to see your suggestions, is Ashampoo worth to install today over Norton?

Thanks for your kind comment SeriorCitizen. I have a lot of time to spare, and because I love arcade games and really appreciate the service that the game giveaway team are doing, I try to write an impartial review of most games. Sometimes they are a little verbose, but I do try to include as much information as possible, so that community members can make a more informed choice. Though the best way is to actually try a game for yourself.

Some of the games can be quite large as far as arcade games go; though when comparing them to DVD based games like Battlefield 2; a game that’ takes up over 100Gb of disc space when many of the modifications and extra content that’s available for the game are installed (I have over 200Gb of files for that game alone, all of which has been available free), arcade games are very small – anyway, I started the reviews initially for two reasons:

• Mainly for those who were on dial up, because they were downloading games that took all day but they then discovered were not what they wanted or thought the game was going to be like.

• Because there were too many community members posting negative comments when it was obvious that they had either not bothered to even install the game, or were making comments based on only a few minutes play.

I’ve been writing reviews since around March 2006, though they do vary in quality depending upon how much time I spend on playing and then writing them up. I’ve often fallen asleep writing reviews recently, because the administrators give me the heads up on what’s going to be available the night before so that I can post the reviews early.

BuBBy -- Since I'm already logged on and was able to find my post here, I will respond to you. I agree -- from now on I will trust my own judgment and probably disregard the YES's and NO's.

I had just found a full Review on this forum for today's game, ShellBlast. Whiterabbit's discussion blew my sox off! What a thoughtful, helpful poster, especially that the review he/she made was in-depth and intelligent. In the future I will search for Whiterabbit's write-ups.

With today's giveaway, I (again) found it amazin tht there were 37 YES's and 42 NO's ... but there wasn't even one comment. I'm glad I played around and found Whiterabbit's review on the forums.

Everyday SHOULD be a learning experience!

Senior citizen from New Yawk

Also - people can comment without being registered. Being registered just saves having to enter a name and email manually for each comment (ie. convenience).

In terms of voting - I believe only the first click on Yes or No is actually recorded - subsequent clicks are ignored. (ie. one vote per person).

The relevance of yes vs. no votes is open for interpretation. Personally I neither vote or pay any attention. I prefer to go off the program description - the developers website - and third party reviews.

With the comments there are a few peoples comments I will search out - many of the others aren't worth paying much attention to (I suspect some people just get excited being able to 'have their say' and see their name on a website. In most cases they haven't yet installed the software or used it for less than 10 minutes). Usually I trust my own judgement more than going off the comments.

Hello SeniorCitizen - To answer another part of your question; why is there a difference between the number of votes and the number of comments?

People can vote without leaving a comment. Anyone that visits can vote and anyone that is registered can comment but not everyone does. My concern would be that people that didn't even download the software can vote and that just makes it a popularity contest not a true indication of how well the software is liked by the users.

Very often we see comments like "I all ready have software that does the same thing". If those people vote "thumbs down", that doesn't say anything about the software offered, just that that person doesn't want/need it.

I would like to see a better voting system such as; only those that download should be able to vote or having to indicate if you did or did not actually download it before you are allowed to vote. (OK.. off my soapbox now.)

I how this helps answer your questions.

c[_] HOSS

PS. I'm not a Senior yet but, I am a Grandpa.

Hello SeniorCitizen, great nickname, and I'm originally from NY too, as well as being a Senior Citizen .. thanks for posting. You have a valid point in all of your observations, and this has been brought up before about whether the ratings are fair! I think the best bet is just read the actual comments posted (bypass the groaners and moaners), and see what you can derive from those. If the program sounds like it might be of use to you, personally, then download it. If it turns out it's not what you want, you can always uninstall it.

As for not being a computer whiz.. you can really learn a lot from these forums, as I have! It's never too late to learn.. I'm not only a senior citizen, I'm a granny as well as a great-granny .. but I know a lot more than my kids do about computers!!

Daily, when I put my computer on, I go directly to Giveaway of the Day. I am extremely appreciative of the free software, and especially appreciative of the time and energies the persons who maintain this website put in. It must be an exhaustive chore. We are ALL quite fortunate for this website.

And after seeing what's available for the day, I read the comments. And today I realized something. I did an analysis of the comments and maybe someone can explain something to me.

Concerning YES's and NO's, along with # of comments:
Right now for today's free software I see 48 YES's and 412 NO's with total of 72 comments. Does this mean that all of these 72 folks clicked here and there and everywhere to "make or break" the free software? I realize a person can click YES or NO a few times (or more), but it seems to me like this is "tipping the scales" if only a handful of folks are doing this.

Then there were 331 YES's and 704 NO's, with total of 118 comments for another program. If ONLY 118 people commented how/why were there a total of 1035 thumbs UP and thumbs DOWN?

Of the last ten (10) giveaways, 8 were mostly rejected by folks and only two (2) got a thumbs UP -- Partition Recovery (446 YES with 403 NO, 111 comments) and Edraw Max (917 YES with 412 NO, 72 comments).

Most certainly for me, the comments help me to decide if I'd like to download the software or not. But if people are 'tipping the scales' for one reason or another then I'd have to say the comments should not hold all the weight for me I've given them.

I don't know ... I just find it sort of improper to "look a gift horse in the mouth" like so many posters do. Unless, of course, the person DID try the software.

And before anyone jumps on my back, I am not a computer whiz. I write letters on my computer, read the daily newspaper, and play FreeCell, Magic Lines and Tetris. Hey, I still use Quicken DOS but can't print anything with my HP laser! Just wanted to add my 2 cents to this forum because Giveaway of the Day is a daily thing for me ... and I appreciate this website immensely.

A Senior Citizen from upstate New Yawk

In a way it's a good idea. A customer gets a free program with limitations, if a person needs to install it again. They will most likely have to pay, but I'm pretty sure giveawayoftheday also advertises all their programs here, which is a good idea.

There are other download sites, but usually what most people do and what I do is only try the free programs. Here the programs they offer are free with limitations, but you get to try the full version of the program, which what some people will do is if they like it, they will buy it.

I like giveawayoftheday. I know there may be spyware or what not that giveawayoftheday.com might not know about, but downloading from any site you take that risk.

http://www.giveawayoftheday.com/for-developers/

So.. Giveaway dont pay anything to the developers of the games??

well... its kinda nice :-) .. if i understod it corret ;)

Do you remember the Magpie song, well think of it like that.

There are adverts, advertising the authors other software.

I just entered your site. And the first thing i was looking for was commercials... Im usually not looking for that, but when a site offers something for free, they usually want you to click commercials.

But i didnt see any? And now im wondering how this site can give money to developers, and keep the site running like that, but where are THEY getting the money from? did i misunderstand something? or i didnt look good enough for a explaination? :)

My question is, how does Giveaway earn money on this?

Peace from xiroV <3 :)