Anti-virus software - help please

Until recently I was using Norton but my subscription has run out. Before I renew it, can anyone advise if that's a good product or is there something better?

I'm useless at this stuff [xx(]

Thanks heaps.

Hi, when my Nortons ran out, I asked the exact same question. I eventually went with Avast. It's free and seems to do the job. Warns of suspicious emails and have had no problems with it. It does regular updates and causes no interference with any of the other programmes I run (unlike the Nortons). You could always do a google search.

There are a few other free ones out there as well, and several members on here use various other ones.

That is my 2 penneth worth.

Cheers
Jan
www.kozitoez.co.nz

AVG Free has kept me safe for 3 years It doesnt slow my PC down either.

when my Nortons ran out, I bought a security "suite" called CS, was known by another name which I have forgotten.

Anyhow, to cut a long story short, I am very disappointed with it, and have reinstalled all the "freebies" such as Adaware that I had on before, as they find more spyware etc on my computer than either the Nortons or CS did and does....

I would also go for a free download next time our subscription expires...

I have been using Avast! on my XP laptop. Seems to do the job and is free. It was initially recommended and installed for me by the shop I got the laptop from (cheap, ex-lease).

I'd recommend it, but also I'd recommend installing SpyBot and maybe Adaware (and don't forget to run them occasionally!). Also, turn on XP's built-in firewall. Oh, and use Firefox for web browsing and Thunderbird for email. I'd avoid Outlook Express, and doubly so Incredimail.

A

Once upon a time (early '90s) Norton was the shizzle. Norton Desktop for DOS made life bearable on that limited operating system, Norton Utilities did all the "little things" the OS should have done on its own...it was fast, sleek, efficient, and priced pretty fair. That all changed, and now if you install Norton you get a multi-tentacled monster that glorps into every nook and cranny of your system, sucks up a staggering amount of resources, slows other apps down, gets in the way, and tries to get money out of you at every possible opportunity.

Sort of like a virus....

The free and inexpensive alternatives in this space nowadays tend to be superior. Avast, AVG, Comodo, NOD32 and others do a fine job with a lot less overhead. They are also frequently quicker on the uptake -- I once had a major client hobbled by a virus that Norton and McAfee had failed to detect. I installed AVG, cleaned all their desktops, and had them back on the air in an hour. Norton got the new signature 3 days later.

Phil in Manawatu

AVG, we had Nortons many moons ago and it slowed the computer down something awful, had alot of problems with it.

Thanks heaps. I have banished Norton and installed Avast!.