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Old 10-30-2009, 08:46 PM   #11
Jmac
Willing to sell body for a few minutes on RS
 
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Join Date: Aug 2004
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Evylldemon View Post
Honestly AVG (or other comparable free anti virus programs - avira, avast, etc.) will offer more than enough virus protection for the average user. I remember reading an article a while back showing how AVG was actually better at protecting than Norton, Trend Micro and a couple other paid services. I haven't used any anti virus software in more than 5 years and I have never got a virus. If you know you're not that cautious or if it is a family/shared computer you might as well pick up one of the free ones.

tl:dr don't pay for anti virus software.
Key word in that sentence would be a while back.

AVG is average at best these days. Norton has really stepped up their game over the last year or so (though I still wouldn't say they're top tier, but at least back up to 2nd tier)

I use Kaspersky, which is still one of the best, although they appear to be slipping (we've been selling it at Staples for close to 3 years now; the first 2 years, we saw less than 3 PCs come in w/ infections all year running Kaspersky, this year (specifically the last 3 months), that number has risen dramatically to about 2-3/month (Computers running AVG are now the most common computers brought in w/ infections, Norton is 2nd (but a lot less frequent than they used to be))

As for Microsoft Security Essentials, I've used it a few times, seems pretty decent. With it being Microsoft, I have little doubt in my mind that the reviews won't be so pretty next year, much the same way Microsoft Anti-Spyware was the defacto anti-spyware program 4-5 years ago before it got picked apart.
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