It is true that BID created a "Cheat" in their previous version, and it is true that there are plenty of good free firewalls available.

However, there are many who have been hammering v3.5 to run it through some paces and so far it holding up as a legitimate contender.

Additionally, we must keep our eyes open as the near future will see a decline in "free" firewall software availability. Or, at best, free with minimal capabilities. Most home users on a single station will probably be fairly well covered by the free versions for the next year or two, but most of the producers are already leaning towards "limited free", pay for advanced, in the very near future.