Avast forum: Anti-Virus Companies Abandon Their Users

Thanx for info on ESET, but the reality is that software support of any op-sys will disappear
as long as it's no longer economically feasible. Yet my old Win 2K machine, without overclocking is faster than my wife's XP unit.
Eset may be a fine anti-virus program but it's NOT FREE.
That may sound cheap of me but consider,....as support for XP is over (by Microsoft), how soon will support by other software companies end for XP. Remember XP has had the LARGEST base of users of ANY op-sys to date & most of its home users are reluctant to switch. I know VISTA has been a dud & Win 7 sales are increasing rapidly. I understand that the soon (a year?) to be released Win 8 has some really new quirky things about it which may possibly spell the end of support for who knows which op-sys, by software manufacturers.
Perhaps the business community (which passes on costs to us), requires regular op-sys updates but typical home users become quite happy & satisfied with software they learn to use comfortably. We don't need regular op-sys upgrades. That may be good for Microsoft's bottom line, but not the consumer. We buy a new car mainly because the old one is getting beat up looking or not getting decent gas mileage, or no longer running well. Only business people or those who can afford to replace cars just for the new car smell will do so regularly. Frankly, XP did not require replacement. It may have gotten some upgrades or refreshing. but new op-sys's are only benefiting Bill Gates & Co.
I am well aware that churning within a business & profit drive the computer market just as it does for any other business, but any software, including an op-sys, does not wear out or get shoddy like an old car.
I guess I'll have to be very careful & perhaps pull the old computer off the net so as to NOT possibly introduce some unwanted bug, & just use it as a warehouse of old stuff I wish to keep.

Here in the UK I had an old Ford Cortina.

After 30 years Ford UK stopped providing parts and I had to go elsewhere for them. It still ran OK though, but eventually I had to go for something newer. All car manufacturers end support for their older models at some stage or another. It ceases to be cost effective.

Electronics and software have a shorter life span it seems.

Mark

"Having a Moderator who doesn't know the product isn't a good idea".

That's a strange comment to make without any supporting details. I've read all the Mod comments in this thread, including my own, and I can't find any errors, nor inaccuracies.

Considering the OP asked a generalised question, which product, specifically, are you referring to?

Mark

I am the originator of the rant which blamed anti-virus software manufacturers for abandoning
Win 2K (mine is Service Pack 4). I also have a big-gun Win 7 (Ultimate) macchine from HP with 12 gigs of RAM. I am not lost in the past, but my Win 2K oldie has many things on it I treasure which cannot go onto the Win 7 machine. (There's also an XP laptop here & I use all)
I thank you for your response, but when I accessed the AVAST website, they stated that the op-sys's supported by their new version of FREE anti-virus are WIN7, VISTA, & XP.
They say nothing about any op-sys below XP.
I guess I'll try to contact THEM & get it direct from the horses mouth.
Again THANKS to you & all those who responded.

Truly confusing & conflicting......

If you look at the 4th line under "Operating Systems Supported" in the screenshot
it states that Avast supports Win2K S.P.4

Then view the 2nd line up from the bottom of the screenshot & it CLEARLY states that
Avast free anti-virus will ONLY run on op-sys's from XP & newer.
(Win2K is older than XP)
Thus a conflict of statements by the company exists.

I'll download & install latest version of AVAST FREE & try it.
I've ALWAYS maintained my windows & security settings at the newest & latest.
I've had SP4 for several years now.
Again,......Many thanks

Up until a year ago, I too worked with a Win98 and had the same problem until I rationalized the OS was so old it was probably safe to run without anti-virus protection. Rational: the virus writing culprits probably don't bother writing virus code for such a limited number of potential users. I ran the Win98 and surfed the Internet with abandon for at lease two years without protection and never had a problem (my ISP provides email protection). The same is probably true for your Win 2K machine. To be on the safe side, you could use the protected Win 7 monster for email and Internet surfing and transfer already scanned files to the Win 2K.

Oops, I partially misread your email. I thought you read my oldie as an XP unit,....You did NOT!
You correctly stated my oldie was a Win 2k dinosaur......Again, sorry.