Hi “Fans” :
Thought you may be interested in what someone posted
on the PC Magazine Discussion Forums about ZA :
I dumped it for comodo months ago 
From someone currently not using ZA.
This referres to an apparent conflict between ZA and McAfee.
Since McAfee isn’t my AV program, it shouldn’t affect me if I again decided to use ZA.
Hi Bob,
I too use ZA at home, no problems. But under pressure of releasing new versions we will see more and more that programs give conflicts. Un-patched software is therefore considered an even bigger risk than malware, and that is a fact.
In case of conflicts, you can develop registry problems, and this can lead to loss of data, etc. etc.
Do we know what combination of software makes you run into problems, well probably not, but reports of it are here. So what to do? Have a good backup policy, have your crucial data somewhere on a memstick (drivers, addresses, other private data).
Run your system and your program files in different partitions.
Check your system with dll checker from here: http://www.aptrio.com/Utilities/System-Utilities/dll-checker-download-934.html
(trial version).
But if there are conflicts you are into the nitty gritty of analyzing all of your registry endings, and that can be painstakingly hard to solve. Removing conflicting software is the best option there, or use an alternative.
polonus
The recent versions of ZA have been a mess for many, but not all users.
There are numerous questions regarding the last stable version. A common answer is 5.5. After upgrading to 6.1 (now replaced with 6.5), I reverted back to the last update to 5.5, and haven’t had any trouble since.
You can read more about user dissatisfaction here:
http://forum.zonelabs.org/zonelabs/board?board.id=gen
Also see this thread:
http://forum.zonelabs.org/zonelabs/board?board.id=inst
If you’re having problems with your current version, and want to roll back to a previous one, you can find them here:
http://forum.zonelabs.org/zonelabs/board/message?board.id=inst&message.id=39953
But, you must follow the uninstall instructions for your current version to a “T”, or you’ll just compound your problems. The uninstall instructions are available in many threads on the ZA forum.
Things there probably won’t change much, until the major reviewers (such as CNET, PC Mag, etc.) catch the myriad of problems, and they publish their opinions and new rankings.
I’m still a great fan of ZA, but like many, I’m just waiting until things improve before I try to upgrade again.
Hi OrangeCrate,
Good posting. Couldn’t it be that testers lack the time to put a final version through the grinding mill. Isn’t it remarkable that one day after the new Opera browser was launched, a href tag exploit was published together with a proof of exploit???
There are two main issues here: one coders that code with security at heart are just coming out of the pipeline. In the past this was not a major issue. The pressure to come to a launch date prevails over thoroughly testing all various input. That is why we have the situation at hand with a lot of software, and that is not only ZA.
If security products do not work together properly it could cost you part of your data, if it goes on much longer you could eventually loose the stability of your OS.
polonus
As a ZoneAlarm ‘Fan’ I’ve experienced no problems with v.6.5.714.000 . Or the previous release. There are always problems with doing a clean install which certainly "
you must follow the uninstall instructions for your current version to a “T”" This has always been a Issue with ZA . You only muck it up once ! ;D
I haven’t changed any security programs as I’m happy with the way my system is . I do find it a good idea to look at the ZoneLabs forums when a new update is released to gauge the stability and compatability issues , as a rule of thumb.
Obviously only users with problems will post there , which may be a small percentage of overall users, as with most program updates of any software.
Polonus,
I can’t agree with you more. But, it’s funny, what’s happening with ZA now, has happened in the past.
Once upon a time, there was a company called Polaris Software, who had a wonderful PIM called Packrat.
Read what happened to their company, when the users went nuts over poorly written upgrades, and the company’s head-in-the-sand lack of response to complaints.
The article is here:
http://www.inc.com/magazine/19950915/2623.html
As they say, those who don’t learn from history, are doomed to repeat it.
Like I said in my other post, I’m a great fan of ZA, and it’s sad to see what’s happening to them.
Personally, I think the vast variety of documented problems in their forum negates the idea that it’s just a few who are complaining. I think that the postings represent a pretty fair sampling of issues, and that many others either suffer in silence, don’t know that the forum exists, or are so pissed off, they don’t say anything.
But, like I said in my first posting here in this thread, not all have experienced problems. Please allow me to come and rub your head - maybe some of your luck will rub off on me.
I think the vast variety of documented problems in their forum negates the idea that it's just a few who are complaining.When you compare the number of users to the relatively small # of complaints, it is a small percentage. No software update can be 100% compatible with every possible configuration on every users computer. Bearing that in mind, there will always be some disgruntled users. We even have them here. :) That's why there are other companies who offer the same type of programs. ;D
Hi all,
as usual Bob’s words are evidence:
No software update can be 100% compatible with every possible configuration on every users computer.
…do you remember Rubik’s rules? 8)
I guess I am one of the lucky ones since I’ve not had any problems with ZA on 3 computers in the past 7 years … but then, I always use the free version because I hate crap filled all-in-one programs.
Hi CharleyO,
Like to react on this last line of yours, considering the all-in-one bloatware programs.
Why is it then, that they all are going for that model? ZA, A-squared with their new beta (have you tried that? No, of course), M$ all-in-one speaks “tomes” in this respect, “spreading the word around for an annual $ 29”.
I like the combination of tailored to my needs proggies that do what they are supposed to ultimately, an AV product that is an AV solution, in combination with an Anti-Trojan that is only AT, a firewall that is a firewall, and a combination of Anti-Spyware that only tackles this types of malware. If you have “all-in-ones” operating side by side on your sytem you are bound to have compatibility problems. What do you think, or am I wrong here?
polonus
I’ve never had much luck with " suites" either. If you try to be too many things to too many people, something always seems to suffer. Dividing and conquering with specialized products seems the best idea to me. But, most people are not that computer savvy, so there will always be a market for the all-in-one packages, I suppose.
MS’s Live OneCare, and the others that are coming to market with an overall service to care for a computer, for the casual user that is aware of viruses, spyware, etc., but doesn’t have time or inclination to learn, is probably going to be really popular. And probably a good thing too, since anything is better than nothing.
By the way, I grant to all, that a small amount of users complain in forums. But, from a statistical sampling view (which works a little like political polls), the wide variety of issues complained about on ZA’s forum, and other forums, if you take the time to search, is disturbing, and most frequently are about ZA’s “value added” programs, and not the free version of their firewall.
Polonus,
I agree completely. You are not wrong about the compatability issues when a computer has several of these all-in-one programs … regardless of what types they are.
Abraxas - The comment you’ve made is exactly what people should do before installing new software, updates, etc. There would be fewer flawed products in the marketplace, if people did their homework.
_ _
I’ve referred to “statistical sampling” a couple of times in my posts in this thread, and as an aside, I thought people might be interested in how that works, and how it relates specifically to evaluating software in forums.
As a professor in one of my early statistics courses in college explained to me, statistical sampling works a lot like this…
Everytime someone complains about something (as is the case here, though you can substitute any parameter you want into the equation), think of it as the tip of an iceberg. Statistically there will be others who have the same problem, but have not commented in the forum. To assume that only one in multiple millions of users has that problem, is simply not mathematically correct.
When someone else complains about a specific issue with a product, evaluate whether it’s an interpretation of a problem relating to an existing iceberg, or does it represent the tip of another iceberg. And, on and on, as you evaluate each complaint. (In ZA’s case, vsmon problems is one iceberg, installation problems is another iceberg, uninstall problems is another iceberg, etc., etc., etc.)
Though, in real life, the equations can get pretty complex, as you analyze the specifics within each iceberg, statistical sampling, in a nutshell, involves nothing more than counting the number of icebergs in the pond. From a software evaluation standpoint, the number of icebergs will have a direct correlation to the quality of the product, no matter what percentage of users are represented in the forum. Just count the icebergs.
I certainly don’t see many in avast!'s pond, but I see many in Zone Alarm’s. Hence my comments, and this aside.