UPDATE MAY 1 2006

My web site The AMAZING Brain Adventure is getting about 750,000 hits a month average these days - so as you can guess, I am constantly at my computer.

Consequently, I'm turned on to lots of things that unfortunately, the average computer user is just not hip to--

VIRUS SCAN SOFTWARE

I used McAfee Virus Scan for years. Eventually I got sick of paying for the NEW SUPER DUPER IMPROVED VERSION every12 months, only to find it did not work any better than the previous version, and as time went on- IT  ACTUALLY GOT WORSE and more difficult to navigate, more tacked-on advertising etc.

SO HERE IS MY CURRENT RECOMMENDATION, from vast experience on the web:

Completely dump McAfee or Norton for PAID virus ware. You don't need it, despite all the marketing hype, scare tactics by retailers, etc.

I use a FREE Virus Program that does EVERYTHING anyone could need or want- and I am NOT a paid employee of ANY company:

GO HERE, get this, use it, it works perfectly.

 AVG FREE VIRUS PROTECTION

The company makes its revenue on paid products and advertising, like many others, and so offers a free basic service with no time limits. Use the free version, it is just fine.

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SPYWARE REMOVAL SOFTWARE

For Spyware Protection, this is absolutely the BEST software I have found PERIOD, it has removed certain programs others could not-- including Ad-Aware, McAfee, Spybot, and others which are all far from perfect. Again it is totally free, and it is exactly what I use

 EWIDO SPYWARE TOOL

This setup contains the free as well as the paid version of ewido anti-malware. After the installation, a free 14-day trial version containing all the extensions of the full version will be activated. At the end of the trial, these extensions will be deactivated and the program will turn into a feature-limited freeware version. The purchased license code can be entered at any time. You don't need all the pay-for features, just continue using the free version without the add ons.

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Okay, so if you are convinced you still need McAfee, and I sure as hell don't know why you would, here is some more info on McAfee updating DAT files that won't make you renew the goddarn license every year....

Consequently, I'm turned on to lots of things that unfortunately, the average computer user is just not hip to-- one of these is McAfee Anti-Virusware updates that do not require the continual re-paying of license fees to keep updated every year.

I find some aspects of computer software renewal particularly troublesome: Every software producer feels the need to make "new and improved" copies of their software continually, to make sure customers keep coming back and buying new versions.

In some cases, improvements are made, but in many other examples this is just not the case.

As for McAfee VirusScan software, every version after Version 7 has gotten worse in terms of functionality and ease of use. None of the new features are worth upgrading for, and in fact, should be avoided. (In fact, if people would simply learn how to avoid downloading and applying viruses and worms, they would, like myself, not even run virus ware all the time in the background. I rarely have a need to scan my machine for viruses.) The same can be said of Norton Anti-Virus software.

Thus, there is a real and legitimate need to keep the older versions functional, which the virus software companies keep a lid on. Fortunately, there is a , moral, legal and free way to do this if you know where to go on the McAfee site, for McAfee users.  Simple instructions below...

Here's a few examples of programs that have gotten WORSE with recent changes:

1) Adobe Elements- Last year's version 2.0 is a wonderful program and a great improvement over Elements 1, but was recently replaced by version 3 which adds little if anything and seriously dumbs down the interface, looks stupid, and does nothing to enhance that actual usefulness of the program. Stick with Version 2.0, nothing to be gained by updating.

2) Norton Ghost- If you're using Ghost 2003, you've got the best version to date, and the only one (besides the V9) that will work with XP. Version 9, the current model, adds complexity and nothing useful, and besides, can not access older Ghost images. I tried 9, and dumped it in favor of V. 2003 which has performed perfectly for years. If you still have Windows 98, you don't even need V. 2003.

See my Norton Ghost page for lots of useful HOW TO DO IT and why you need this info.

3) Quicken- Good grief, I still haven't found a reason to update from Quicken 2002, which is simple, and works perfectly well. I've installed, and quickly removed later versions of Quicken that adds more crap that nobody needs. Arggh!!

4) FINALLY the VirusScan programs- Both Norton and McAfee added features that SLOW DOWN the process of updating to newer virus definitions, require needless opening of their web site pages for use, etc etc ETC! And, they make you pay for it.  Norton requires even more than McAfee--- PEE-YOU on these companies for making things more difficult and complex, rather than simplifying.

I use McAfee Version 7- why? SIMPLE. You can update and run from one click of your mouse and one window- not true with later versions, which add needless complexity and steps- all in the name of getting you to keep going back to the McAfee's web site for commercial propaganda. Beg, borrow, or steal V.7.

All virus scanning programs come with a year's "license", after which you need to renew your subscription, and send more money to the company. To get around this in the past- for my McAfee 7,  I would simply remove the program at this time, clean out the registry from all McAfee and Virus Scan references, then reinstall to get another years service, updating all the virus definitions. This will work to a certain point, but when installing over a certain numbers of virus scan DAT definitions the program will crash and requires the following fix, each of these three files installed in the sequence named, 1.exe, 2. exe, 3.exe VirusScan 7 Fix

BUT BEFORE BOTHERING WITH THE ABOVE FIX and reinstalling from scratch-- here's the easier and simpler (legal and official) "SECRET" solution:

Simply download the latest SuperDat File right from the McAfee site, and download and install the latest DAT file definitions from the same page as needed. The SuperDat file contains both the updated virusscan engine and the newest virus definitions, the DAT file alone is just the definitions.

McAfee Virus Definition and Engine Update Page

This does not require needless renewing of your VirusScan program license endlessly to install a version that actually works WORSE than earlier versions. I would expect this page to be good for a couple more years at least.

The other update functions of the VirusScan software should continue to work, with the exception of the virus definition updates which will instead require you to update from the link above.

To renew virus definitions, simply make a bookmark of this page and go there to update, since your programs "update" function will not work after your year's license is up. Otherwise, every aspect of the program continues to work with the new definitions and engine you get from this McAfee page- which they go to lengths to conceal from consumers.

Okay, that's it-- now if you find this page useful, this is just the tip of the iceberg-- go to the Brain Site below, to really blow your mind....!