FWIW, I use AVG8 (free) and sometimes get the errors about the
server error (I forget the exact wording...) That was worse when they allowed
FREE users to get new defs more than once a day. The load on the (different)
free servers was too much. Paid users use their own servers.
They went back to once a day (for FREE) and seemed to increase the FREE
server capacity, so I only have that problem rarely or when I have disabled/shut
off connections with my firewall.

AVG (also) ties up the machine *excessively* right after booting for a minute or two.
(I watch it in Task Manager in real time.)
The boot time thing (drivers and normally resident programs loading) has gotten better
in the last several weeks with a forced upgrade of the main AVG program.
Currently 8.5.285 (I Don't know if that is the latest build.)

FYI: I generally do CUSTOM installs of just about everything.
This is VERY important with AVG. They add stuff I don't think I neeed.
Things like link scanning (never had it), and e-mail scanning (could NOT disable it).
To disable e-mail sacanning (I used the program interface selections with no results),
I was forced to un-install and re-install-CUSTOM to rid myself of that "feature".

I think the program has generally settled down, but also hear other programs like
Avira<??> catch "more stuff".
As these "reports" ebb and flow, and one is better "sometimes", I stuck with AVG.
YMMV.

Rick Glazier


From: "Don Penlington"  (about AVG8) clipped
> And it seems (I haven't used it) that its pre-checking of all links on web 
> pages was one of those ideas that's great in theory, but a bit of a 
> disaster in practice. While you're looking at a web page, it is 
> pre-scanning all links on that page, whether you intend to look at them or 
> not.  The theory is that this should speed up your browsing in an ideal 
> world, but in practice it apparently has the opposite effect.
> 
> On a slow connection, or on a site with a slow or busy server, this could 
> slow your browsing down something horrible.
> 
> I think you can turn this function off, though it's probably enabled by 
> default.
> 
> I don't think AVG is "bad" and if you're happy with it, stick with it by 
> all means. It served me well for many years. clipped

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