Over the past few weeks, AVG has been a little more agressive in their attempt to get folks to convert to their paid product by showing advertising screens every 2-4 days that ask to upgrade your security. It is completely your perogative to upgrade if you like, but I still use the free version and recommend you do the same.
Like any business, AVG simply wants to convert more of their of customers to paying customers. You can see a chart of the extra services that the pay version provides by clicking here.
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HelpMeRick.com started as a monthly tip site for beginners in 1996, and now supports our popular call-in computer show, and hosts thousands of useful computer tips and links.
I’m also one of the “you get what you pay for” advocates…
AVG is pretty descent though, and if it’s saved you time and hassle, paying for the premium version *might* be a worthwhile effort, or at the very least, a nice gesture to show appreciation for a time that they saved your butt.
I use Prevx because they were the only AV software that could clean up my machine, and did it in 5 minutes… after spending 2 days with other free and paid AV software…
So I chose to pay the premium price, as a token of appreciation….
I think that Free is great, and if a business can support the business model, then it’s even better.
But if they find that they can’t stay in business with free, then they need to convert to paid, or they’ll lose the entire company, and lot’s of users will be left scrambling for another solution, and will opt for a paid solution anyhow because of being burned by a free solution that abandoned them…
Anyhow, I use free for 90% of what I do, because it works well, and is available…but not all models can sustain free for very long – maybe AVG is just now realizing it.
As a business guy myself, I completely understand your point Matt. However, remember that the power of free is that AVG and other products over the years build their name recognition and get their foot in the door of business by giving away products. I regularly donate money (albeit small amounts) to open source or free products that I benefit from and encourage others to do so as well. In this case, though, AVG provides great protection for home and novice computer users with minimal input from the user.
I’m with you, Rick, I checked the link and I just don’t need the extra services. The free version has all the features I need – at least for now.