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Security Software Costs More to Renew Than Buy New

Posted by Zonk on from the helping-the-consumer-choose dept.

Matt Whipp writes "In a story I wrote for PCPro, I explore a tip submitted by one of our readers. They pointed out how much more it costs to renew security software, rather than buying it new. In fact it cost less than half the price to buy it new than it does to renew the license because of heavy discounting. He feels a bit cross that, as a loyal customer, he is the one penalized. From the article: 'ZoneAlarm may have tripped up on this discount issue, but it's not alone. It highlights just how cynical companies can be in relying on customers' assumptions that a renewal should be cheaper than buying new. McAfee's Internet Security Suite costs just £24.99 with the current 50 per cent discount. However, should you be fool enough to already be a customer of McAfee, you'll have to pay £39.99 to renew your licence.'"

8 of 164 comments (clear)

  1. Incoming Call by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    PCPro [...] pointed out how much more it costs to renew security software, rather than buying it new.

    Hello? Slashdot? Yes, I have an "Admiral Ackbar" on the line for you. He says it's urgent?
    1. Re:Incoming Call by p0tat03 · · Score: 5, Funny

      The call is collect! It's a trap!

    2. Re:Incoming Call by dr_dank · · Score: 3, Funny

      We saw it, all calls prepare to hang up!

      --
      Where does the school board find them and why do they keep sending them to ME?
  2. No such thing as a Linux hippy by spun · · Score: 5, Funny

    Wow, I must be one of those Linux hippies...

    FreeBSD is like, "Hey, dudes! Come use our free stuff for whatever you like. Just don't forget to thanks us and it's all good."

    Linux is like, "You are free to join our collective but you have to contribute if you want to distribute our free stuff. Whatever you contribute becomes part of our free stuff."

    See the difference? FreeBSD is for hippies and Linux is for commies. It's a subtle distinction, I know. ;-)

    --
    - None can love freedom heartily, but good men; the rest love not freedom, but license. -- John Milton
    1. Re:No such thing as a Linux hippy by tomstdenis · · Score: 4, Funny

      Point taken, except the DISTRO is a collection of various OSS licensed gear.

      I wouldn't dare contribute to the kernel, I'm only a lowly software developer with 7 years experience and my beard-fu is weak.

      Someday I hope to develop even weaker social skills, a long beard and the aptitude to wear a kilt. Then I can be a kernel developer. :-)

      Tom

      --
      Someday, I'll have a real sig.
    2. Re:No such thing as a Linux hippy by jc42 · · Score: 4, Funny

      FreeBSD is for hippies and Linux is for commies. It's a subtle distinction, I know. ;-)

      And Macs are like "Hey, our stuff is so much more stylish that those other systems." That's why they tell us that Macs are for gays, I guess.

      Lessee; I'm typing this on a Mac laptop. On my desktop are the display/kb/mouse attached to my linux box. On its screen are some windows ssh'd to a remote FreeBSD system that I use for part of my development and portability testing, and as a mirror for my web site.

      I guess this all must make me a gay, communist hippie.

      Please don't tell my wife or employer (or George Bush) ...

      --
      Those who do study history are doomed to stand helplessly by while everyone else repeats it.
  3. Re:Who pays for virus protection? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    If you have Comcast cable internet McAfee security suite is free.

    And almost worth it.
  4. Re:A story about "Quicken" by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    The way I see it... The only option should have been to purchase Microsoft Money, and use it to import your quicken data.