What AV products require activation keys?

[shango415]

I know that Norton does, so I'm avoiding it on principle. Are there
others that need a product key?

 

[HC]

I know that Norton does, so I'm avoiding it on principle. Are there
others that need a product key?

I guess another way of asking is whether others (McAfee, for example)
do not.

 

[Jeffrey A. Setaro]

I know that Norton does, so I'm avoiding it on principle. Are there
others that need a product key?

Off the top of my head F-Prot for Windows, F-Secure Anti-Virus 2005,
F-Secure Internet Security 2005, Kaspersky, NOD32 all require
registration keys or user ID & passwords to receive updates and/or
upgrades.

Cheers-

Jeff Setaro
jasetaro@SPAM_ME_NOT_mags.net
http://people.mags.net/jasetaro/
PGP Key IDs DH/DSS: 0x5D41429D RSA: 0x599D2A99 New RSA: 0xA19EBD34

 

[Conor]

I know that Norton does, so I'm avoiding it on principle.[/QUOTE]

Why, because you can't steal it?

 

[HC]

If I wanted to avoid paying for AV, I'd just use Avast, AVG, or
Antivir. I've just heard stories about difficulties with the
activation process. If I can eliminate one potential problem by not
using Norton or another product that requires activation, I'd prefer to
go that route.

 

[Ditoa]

I know that Norton does, so I'm avoiding it on principle. Are there
others that need a product key?

Do you want products which use product activation (like Norton 2004
and newer) or products which uses serial numbers during installation
or both?

 

[Ditoa]

If I wanted to avoid paying for AV, I'd just use Avast, AVG, or
Antivir. I've just heard stories about difficulties with the
activation process. If I can eliminate one potential problem by not
using Norton or another product that requires activation, I'd prefer to
go that route.

Products which require you to use a username/password to download
updates I would be more worried about. Activation is, and always has
been, a very painless process and it only needs to be done once
(normally). Where as having to login to a server requires more
processing time on the server and as update servers are normally
overloaded anyway it normally always causes problems.

I would avoid Norton for many other reasons. Sadly they spent more
time and money on getting the activation process working rather than
adding a few other features.

 

[Max M.Wachtel III]

If I wanted to avoid paying for AV, I'd just use Avast, AVG, or
Antivir. I've just heard stories about difficulties with the
activation process. If I can eliminate one potential problem by not
using Norton or another product that requires activation, I'd prefer to
go that route.

You still need to provide key for avast and AVG.
-max

--
Keeping Windows Clean: http://www.geocities.com/maxpro4u/madmax.html
Virus Cleaning+Fixes: http://www.geocities.com/maxpro4u/TechPros
Change nomail.afraid.org to neo.rr.com so you can reply by e-mail
(nomail.afraid.org has been set up specifically for
use in Usenet. Feel free to use it yourself.)

 

[optikl]

Off the top of my head F-Prot for Windows, F-Secure Anti-Virus 2005,
F-Secure Internet Security 2005, Kaspersky, NOD32 all require
registration keys or user ID & passwords to receive updates and/or
upgrades.

Cheers-

Jeff Setaro

As does PC-cillin.

 

[speedlever]

snip
Activation is, and always has
been, a very painless process and it only needs to be done once
(normally). Where as having to login to a server requires more
processing time on the server and as update servers are normally
overloaded anyway it normally always causes problems.

I would avoid Norton for many other reasons. Sadly they spent more
time and money on getting the activation process working rather than
adding a few other features.

Sorry, but I disagree. I'm with the OP in avoiding software that
requires activation (with the current exception of XP). It can be a pain
in the butt to reinstall the software if you have to replace the HD,
etc.

I've personally had numerous installs of XP due to some hardware
difficulties/mobo replacement and have had to call MS to get their
authorization to re-install XP.

For me, that's just one less hassle to deal with if I can avoid it. And
I choose to where I can.

My only problem with software that uses a registration key/number is
remembering where I keep my master list of those. ;-)

That being said, I use a combination of free and paid AV programs on my
PCs, none of which require activation.