I will be getting a different pc this coming week and would like to know what anitvirus you all use or rate number one. I am using the SBC yahoo antivirus right now but it didn't work up to par, it didn't catch one on my last machine.

A good firewall too.

Rick, I use Kaspersky AntiVirus 6 on both XP and Vista computers. I used Norton AntiVirus for many years, but it became to bloated and intrusive, using up too many computer resources.

Kaspersky is the top rated security application on CNET with a score of 8.0 ("Excellent").

I really like it a LOT. It is small, unobtrusive, doesn't use too many computer resources, updates every hour by itself, and I've not had one problem with it. No viruses either.

On the other hand, the most recent consumer Reports rates Trend Micro AntiVirus plus AntiSpyware higher than the Kaspersky (with a score of Trend Micro=81 to Kaspersky=65 - both in the VG rating), while CNET has it lower than the Kaspersky at a rating of 7.0 ("Very Good")

Others rate the Kaspersky higher than the Trend Micro AntiVirus, but not the top app due to a modest customer service rating. Since I've never had a problem with the Kaspersky I can't comment on their customer service.

http://antivirus-software.6starreviews.c...CFReQGgodBzg9mQ

OK, I'm confused.

Regarding a firewall, ZoneAlarm has a free version of it's highly regarded firewall which should do all you need. One word of warning. I used ZoneAlarm for years and loved it, but I installed the latest version on my Vista running computer, and it really slowed everything down. Since merely uninstalling a program sometimes doesn't get rid of everything the program installs, I opted to use the "System Restore" function to restore my computer to a configuration which existed before I installed the ZoneAlarm.

If you're running XP, you may not have this problem. But, before installing, be sure to create a restore point just in case you need to use it. I'm now using the firewall that came with Vista. On my old XP computer I'm still using, and enjoying ZoneAlarm.

I too used ZoneAlarm for many years but when I switched to XP, I started having a lot of problems. I finally managed to rid my machine of it and now use only NAV, the Windows firewall and the firewall built into my wireless router.

Addendum to my post above. I just upgraded to Kaspersky AntiVirus 7. Since I'm within one year of my AntiVirus 6 purchase, I was entitled to the upgrade free of charge.

The Kaspersky is pricey, but IMHO, it is well worth it. YMMV.

Just noticed something kinda interesting (to me, at least). When comparing the ratings at this web site

http://antivirus-software.6starreviews.c...CFReQGgodBzg9mQ, I noticed that the UI of the top rated product, The Shield Deluxe, looks exactly like the screen shot of the Kaspersky AntiVirus 6.





HMMMMM? Don't quite know what to make of that.

The Shield Deluxe is certainly less expensive than the Kaspersky.

The UI for Kaspersky AntiVirus 7 is slightly different now. No more umbrella.

The plot gets thickerer.....

Being an IT guy and working around a lot of veteran IT guys, I'm all about free stuff that outperforms the big players that charge up the nose for their product and then expect yearly renewals.

For Spyware I've always used Spybot Spybot Search and Destroy

For Antivirus I've been using Grisoft's free AVG antivirus. It is free for personal use, but many educational and law institutions use it and have to pay for it. Grisoft's free AVG Antivirus


I normally uninstall and remove the crap that is preloaded on new pc's.

I forgot to mention I've been a long time fan of ZoneAlarm and have been using it for years, even on XP.

I've been using Avast at home, but I'm not sure how effective it is; I don't do all that much with that machine other than gaming and a bit of web browsing.

I thought i heard that AVG was no longer going to be freeware.

AVG is still free for home use. I use it and have been very happy with it. I also use spybot search and destroy. Both have done great jobs for me so far.

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I forgot to mention I've been a long time fan of ZoneAlarm and have been using it for years, even on XP.

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Here as well. I like the fact it's application-based "Can Internet Explorer come out and play?" versus Port-based... "Do you allow UDP Port 31337 to contact the server at 24.245.136.41?"... um... maybe?!?

Bren R.