Interesting timing: one of my email newsletters today linked me up with Larry Seltzer's column on eWeek entitled, Only Suckers Renew about the rising cost of anti-virus product subscriptions. He makes a good point: in 2001, Norton Anti-Virus annual subscription updates were $3.95. Now, they're $29.99. I can't think of much else that has gone up 650% in the last few years. Even gas has only doubled or tripled since then!
So in other words, now I have to pay 650% more to protect my computer from threats that don't threaten me. No thanks.
I agree that the price of these are getting ridiculous. I have McAffee installed on my machine and I keep asking myself why I do. It only sits there and hogs my system resources. The only reason I use McAffee in the first place is my school provides ever student with a copy of it for their machine. Otherwise I would use something like AVG Free Edition. Although, I still keep questioning why I even have one at all... it has never done me any good.