[Trainer-talk] AntiVirus Software

Mon Mar 11 12:18:29 UTC 2013

David, very well said in my opinion. I've used ESET's security suite for
several years, but recent versions have been a lot less accessible. I've
switched to MSE, only because of the accessibility, but I've also been
reading the reviews on how it hasn't been passing tests lately, and it
concerns me. I'd absolutely love to go back to ESET, but there are several
things that I can't do with it anymore. I won't use Norton or MacAfee
because, when configuring computers in the past that were running these
packages, I found them to be extremely system-intensive. Also, I won't
recommend anything that I wouldn't use myself. If I won't use it, how does
that make me look if I suggest it to someone else?

Caroline

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Caroline Congdon
Director of Student Services
Access Technology Institute
520-300-7859 ext. 1
caroline at blindtraining.com
www.blindtraining.com

-----Original Message-----
From: Trainer-talk [mailto:trainer-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of
David Goldfield
Sent: Monday, March 11, 2013 7:08 AM
To: List for teachers and trainers of adaptive technology
Subject: Re: [Trainer-talk] AntiVirus Software

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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