On occasion i like to try out some (relatively obscure) software of which I have little knowledge. I will run it through ClamXAV just to feel that I at least tried to look for something. [who knows, it might hit pay dirt one day.]
Back during the System 7 to System 9 (Mac OS 9) period, I also did the same thing with Disinfectant. I.e., I never did a scan of the entire HD or anything like that... but simply let it chew through an unfamiliar app I had downloaded... just for the sake of feeling like some attempt had been made to find anything suspicious.
As i recall those days, the entire Mac community was fond of Disinfectant. Like ClamXAV, it was also free... and there was a "vibe" about it which appealed to people. [i.e., some guy (a professor at Northwestern) spent his personal time trying to do right by the Mac community.] I seem to recall there was a general feeling of loss when he retired, and its development ceased.
I get this same vibe from ClamXAV. it's free to all... but donations are accepted. And by sheer coincidence [???] perhaps, I decided to donate to the cause yesterday... and then later spotted your thread. [plus the developer is a Brit, and your moniker sounds like... well, anyway.]
idunno. I might use it only once or twice a month, but I felt the dude is doing the community a service... so, why not help him out? But, you don't have to pay if you don't want to... so I don't really understand why this thread even exists.
Use it/don't use it. Pay/don't pay. It's more a matter of personal choice than any required paranoia over malware, etc. Only you know what sorts of programs you download and/or what sorts of sites you visit. [wild guess here but, i'll wager you may not even need it.]
