Anti Virus Solutions

Computer viruses are so notorious, that many people who have never even used a computer know enough about them to fear them. Essentially, viruses are malicious programs (software) that spread from computer to computer by making and distributing copies of themselves ... much like the everyday human cold virus. Like a cold virus, the damage done (payload) can be minimal or extreme. In my experience, most viruses are more of a nuissance, and do not destroy personal data. On the other hand, some viruses are virulent enough to literally kill computers.

Here are some solutions that can help to protect you from viruses:

Anti Virus Software

The big names in Antivirus have been Symantec's Norton Antivirus and McAfee VirusScan. In years gone by I would happily recommend either. I favoured Norton over McAfee, because I felt that McAfee's marketing practices were misleading and over-aggressive ... but they were both strong products. Now, I really don't recommend either of them for a host of reasons, but if I had to choose between them I would now favour McAfee. Norton Antivirus seems to me to have become so unstable and so unwieldy since 2005 that its 'cure' is at times worse than the 'disease' it is fighting.

So what are your best Anti Virus software options?

I have installed Grisoft's AVG Antivirus on numerous computers and have had very few stability issues. As with any anti virus software, AVG can prove incompatible with a particular setup, but in my experience with AVG this is very rare. There is a fully functional AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition for private, non-commercial, single home computer use only. For the rest of us, there are the AVG Anti-Virus Professional Single Edition, AVG Anti-Malware,and AVG Anti-Spyware. I have to point the latter out to thrilled home users using the free edition who wonder how Grisoft can make any money in the anti virus business by giving away their software.

• Microsoft Security Essentials
• Avast Antivirus
• Avira Antivirus
• BitDefender Antivirus
• Comodo Antivirus