I'm not aware of any packet capture tool besides Wireshark. As mentioned earlier, I've created my Python tool specifically for sampling. This tool allows me to load packet captures, identifying top talkers and bursts within a specified timeframe, say, up to ten microseconds. However, I'm currently unfamiliar with any other tool that provides a graphical representation similar to what Wireshark offers.

I've never checked or compared alternatives to Wireshark because this is the only thing I know. For me, there's no alternative to Wireshark. 

Wireshark is a foundation that many appliances today use the principle or functionality in their own product to provide the same objective. 

Wireshark is a premier tool in packet capture. I've never seen any alternative to Wireshark. Everybody in my environment knows Wireshark.

We didn't try to use other solutions apart from Wireshark.

I can compare Wireshark with tools like Suricata and Zeek. Suricata and Zeek are both implemented considering setting objectives, meaning that they are designed to achieve specific goals. For example, Suricata is designed to decode packet streams, perform analysis, and push configuration changes to devices. This makes it a good choice for an Intrusion Prevention System (IPS), which is a system that can detect and prevent attacks.

Wireshark is the base of Suricata. Suricata both use the same packet filter implementation, known as BPF (Berkley Packet Filter). BPF is a powerful tool that can be used to capture and analyze network traffic.

In those days, there was a tool "Sniffer", but it was too expensive.

No, we did not.