I put it to you about reading documentation and marketing claims or a practically used world and what it can actually do.
There seems to be no need to try and explain an AV's engine and claims. Its irrelevant when in fact a lot of the time they are just claims. Readers only believe the hype, claims, ratings used to get these products to the front which is dangerous .
I was merely trying to warn with a practical background that this software isn't as good as its claims.
A prime example below... He actually believes that because someone wrote it. When i happen to know for a fact it can be got around by not altering instructional content in the signature. With avg 8 even the simple addition of a few null bytes will achieve it which heuristic-based scanning should be able to detect. < not very good but because it said it does its argument worth...Give me a break!!!
stagger: If you re-read the post you'll see that Tarq correctly stated that AVG has heuristic-based scanning that will catch stuff that's not in the virus definitions database. According to AVG this is achieved via emulation of any instructions in a virtual computer (i.e. "sandbox").
Cloaking in processing and to hardware running script is not only carried out by researchers recently! Its mainstream code that can be downloaded open source at various code websites to be compiled with an assembler like Delphi, C++, ASM etc, quite easily and attached to any number of vulnerabilities. Its when a virus/trojan/infecting worm uses another allowed process to run. Process infection is even more common in websites like Warez and Filth that use it not as maliciously to upload spyware . AVG Free is not good at detecting this within windows regardless of what you think you understand from its documentation, biased ratings and jerks who are better at media reports than actual practical function...
You said it your self targ your not in IT/Network Admin security so why would you boldly promote something you don't completely understand.
Use it at your own risk! But don't complain when a 16 year old SC hooks you up as a drone and you have no idea why your pc is slowing down because AVG cant detect a cloaked process or variation and is letting it do as it pleases. Even worse rendering the user unaware and oblivious that its even going on.
System security is a personal choice . I wasn't trying to bash AVG, I was trying to warn others that maybe think before you assume this to be as safe as your needs ...
Take it how you want
dj
Edit Extra... think about it for a second. AVG and others offering free applications do so why ? One reason is its function is not in the same arena as their paid for upgrade which you may need to upgrade to if you get a problem ... You honestly think they spend hours and hours writing a free software to give away? .... NO its a marketing ploy much the same as when you install these apps they find virii and extra stuff thats sometimes not even a virus to make you think wow look at that its working, its found something...
All the best with it all.