I know when the new pay version of Zone Alarm came out, many were saying it was a resource hog and thus were discouraged by it. Is the new free version 3.1 using more resources and more of a drain, etc. on a system than 2.6? Are there true advantages to upgrading to it at this time? Thanks

There is a saying "If it ain't broke, don't fix it". I don't go along with that for mechanical stuff, but for software I think it's often very good advice.

I understand that but, if version 3.1 is able to block more, varied forms of hacking, I would be interested. But, I am concerned it may not be worth the switch if it is going to use more resources or has more non-essential gimmicks as I do try to keep the resources up. I'm on cable so this upgrade is of interest to me.

Gary; Not able to address the resource question. But I did come across this for what it is worth. ZAF 3.1.291 MailSafe only protects from .VBS attachments, protection from .exe attachments etc. need the "Advanced" MailSafe found only in ZAP. This is a serious loss of functionality that ZAF 2.6. offers. Just a thought to consider. Good Luck!

From: http://www.zonelabs.com/store/content/support/znalmMain.jsp#za3 3. What is new in ZoneAlarm 3.1? ZoneAlarm 3.1 improves security and usability for all users by focusing on three key aspects Improved security advice and analysis: comprehensive alerts and logs, analyzable right in ZoneAlarm. An AlertAdvisor that is now even better, with advice that is easy to understand and more specific to your unique situation. Look/feel: Version 3.1 has been redesigned and reengineered to be more useful and usable for everyone, from the brand new user to the expert. Enhanced information and advice: The Help files have been completely rewritten, so answers are simple to find and easy to understand. And to make it easy for you to get your security up-and-running quickly, ZoneAlarm's new Installer and Uninstaller are quick and simple to use. -End- I upgraded and find it uses 2-5% more resources than the older version. Bryan