[Trainer-talk] AntiVirus Software

[David Goldfield]

I don't know how many will be in agreement with my views on this but I 
think that this is an important topic and I'm glad it is being 
discussed.  It's important, not only for trainers making recommendations 
for their students/clients but it's important for all of us who use 
computers, particularly Windows-based computers.
Blind people, in general, tend to use antivirus packages which are the 
most accessible and not necessarily the ones which are top-rated.  For a 
while many of us were using AVG as it was amazingly accessible during 
the 7.5 days.  It even allowed you to reassign keyboard shortcuts for 
many commands.  Version 8 changed the interface but it was still 
usable.  As of last year the latest version, while somewhat usable, had 
some alterations which made it even less so.  Then, I started hearing 
about more and more people using Avast and then that package became 
unusable.  Now everyone is using Security Essentials.  I have to agree 
that it's highly accessible although sometimes one of the buttons gets 
misread as the home button when it's really something else.  Yes, it 
seems to be low on resources and, for a while, was highly recommended.  
However, reports are coming out that it has failed some antivirus 
tests.  On one hand this type of negative exposure is a very good thing 
as it will likely force Microsoft to make improvements to ensure that it 
doesn't continue to fail these tests.  However, blind computer users 
tend to stick with what works and, when the solution no longer works, 
move on to another which is accessible.  What is really needed here is 
some serious and dedicated advocacy on the part of blind or visually 
impaired computer users.  They should go out of their way to contact 
antimalware vendors to let them know what accessibility issues exist in 
their products and to let them know that the user will be forced to go 
to a competitor if these issues cannot be resolved.  It would be 
wonderful to be able to recommend top-rated security software to our 
clients but very often these recommendations would prove difficult for 
many screen reader users. I have to admit I'm totally guilty of this.  
It's easy for people like us who know our way around screen readers to 
just adapt to flaky accessibility or to switch to something that works 
but I think that needs to end.  Given the current news on MSE I feel 
awkward in recommending it to anyone but I also know that it's likely 
the most accessible choice out there at the moment.
Jeanine Lineback wrote:
> I use Microsoft Security Essentials on my netbook because 1. It's
> free 2. It doesn't take as much system resources as some other
> antivirus software and 3. It works with my screen readers better
> than most other programs.
> I have found it to work very well for me.
> I use MacAfee on my home computers because I get a license as
> part of my Uverse subscription. It also work better than some
> with my screen reader. It doesn't work as well with a screen
> reader as Microsoft Security Essentials though.
> Hth
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Trainer-talk [mailto:trainer-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
> Behalf Of Michael D. Barber
> Sent: March 10, 2013 2:40 PM
> To: List for teachers and trainers of adaptive technology
> Subject: [Trainer-talk] AntiVirus Software
>
> Hello:   I would like to know what kinds of antivirus programs
> you folks are
> using and why.  Right now, we use Esset Nod32, but I don't
> exactly like the way it works with screen readers.  I've used
> Microsoft Security Essentials which seems to work nicely.  It's
> free, but I've heard others say they don't trust it because it's
> from Microsoft.
>
>
>
> I'm looking forward to your thoughts.
>
>
>
> Cordially,
>
> Michael D. Barber
>
> (515) 771-8348
>
>
>
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