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Software Reviews

by Djohnfot

The reviews and opinions below are posted by SnapFiles visitors. They do not necessarily reflect our opinion, and are solely based on the experience of individual users.

Windows Defender
  • Freeware
  • WinWin XP

qleft  Most improved  qright

Windows Defender version 1593
  • Interface: 3
  • Features: 3
  • Ease of use: 3
  • Value: 3
  • Overall: 3

What was once subpar is now an average program that works as advertised. System impact is minimal. Scan speed is slow compared to some of the competition but acceptable. Basically, this is a good program but one with nothing to make it stand out from the crowd.

    Review date: Feb 08, 2007

PC Tools AntiVirus Free Edition
  • Freeware
  • Win2000/XP/2003/Vista

qleft  Three small cheers and a great big boo....  qright

PC Tools AntiVirus Free Edition version 3.1
  • Interface: 3
  • Features: 3
  • Ease of use: 3
  • Value: 1
  • Overall: 2

PC Tools antivirus is a thoroughly great antivirus program if one looks only at the interface, features, and ease of use. In those categories it is at-or-near the top of the heap. What made me dislike the program was program bloat! This program slowed both of my computers (using XP SP2) down to an alarming degree. I was not surprised that it slowed one down (PIII with 256mb RAM) but it should not have done so with the other computer (3gHz P4 with 1gb RAM). It's the resident shields that do it - disable them and everythings back to speed which is totally unacceptable. PC Tools needs to optimize their code (is this written in visual basic?!?) so the shields run butter. Fix the bloat and PC Tools will have a world class antivirus program instead of one that reminds me of a beta release. As it is - NOT READY FOR PRIME TIME

    Review date: Feb 08, 2007

avast! Home Edition
  • Freeware
  • WinWin (All)

qleft  Better than most and it's free  qright

avast! Home Edition version 4.7.892
  • Interface: 4
  • Features: 5
  • Ease of use: 4
  • Value: 5
  • Overall: 5

This is a great program. It won't slow down your computer. It has a very effective resident virus shield(s). One can choose scanning depth from "quick" (only recently accessed or opened files) to "thorough" (every file on the computer) and several levels between the two. The interface is different but very easy to use AND one can "reskin" it using one of the many new "skins" available at the avast! website. Overall, a great program that's actually better than many (not all) of the antivirus programs you have to pay for.

    Review date: Feb 08, 2007

Ad-Aware 2007
  • Freeware
  • Win2000/XP/Vista

qleft  Everybody needs this program...  qright

Ad-Aware 2007 version 1.06r1
  • Interface: 4
  • Features: 3
  • Ease of use: 5
  • Value: 5
  • Overall: 5

Ad-Aware SE belongs in every computer users arsenal against spyware (nee: Malware) and it should be used often. Spyware sucks and you can use this great program to find and eliminate it. The scanner is better than that of many commercial programs but it does not have a resident shield. Signature updates are frequent. Run Ad-Aware SE with a companion program such as Spybot or Tenebril's Spycatcher Express, both of which have resident shields, and you won't need a commercial spyware catcher.

    Review date: Feb 08, 2007

Spybot - S&D
  • Freeware
  • Win98/ME/2000/XP/2003/Vista

qleft  Great program but falling a bit behind.....  qright

Spybot - S&D version 1.4
  • Interface: 3
  • Features: 4
  • Ease of use: 3
  • Value: 5
  • Overall: 4

For years Spybot has been one of the big dogs of free anti-spyware programs and it still is but it's slipping. It has one of the best spyware blockers available but its scanner misses a lot compared to Adaware SE or most of the commercial programs. Signature updates are infrequent. Spybot should not be used as your only anti-spyware tool. Use it with another quality freeware program (Adaware SE or Tenebril's Spycatcher Express) and you will have a combination as good - or better than - most commercial programs. Needed? A less clunky interface and more frequent signature updates. Beginners should stay away from the EXPERT menus. Fooling around in here can cause you grief. If you don't know what a menu item or program choice does - leave it alone! I congratulate the author for a fantastic free program but hope a program upgrade is in the works.

    Review date: Feb 08, 2007

Auto Movie Creator

Auto Movie Creator

Create movies using video clips, photo images, and music files.

Demo Builder

Demo Builder

Create interactive Flash movies and tutorials to show how applications and systems work.

RoboTask

RoboTask

A powerful, yet easy-to-use tool to automate any series of tasks you can do on your computer.