General Music Chat

I am trying to decide what kind to get for my new computer. The trial that came with my computer expires next month.
I asked one of the electronic techs at work about it and he said to use Microsoft essentials! You I.T. guys have any advise?

Microsoft essentials is free, that's a plus.

I find that if you use a different browser than MS internet explorer and use webmail like gmail/yahoo/something online and not your home email type software like OUTLOOK/OUTLOOK EXPRESS, you destroy most real chances of becoming infected.

I have some free software that I use 1x a week to scan my system, but it works pretty well.

I don't think there's much difference between the major name brands. I used to use Norton, but they have so many extras and add-ons and pop-ups that I got sick of it, so I've been using McAfee for a few years (assuming that the guy getting busted recently won't make a difference in the software!)

I personally use Kapersky - been super reliable and stays out of the way. They saved my laptop several years ago when all else faills.

Talbot

windows 7 / 8 just use security essentials, good that name to get to the download page, it's free, it's better integrated into the OS, it uses very little resources, and if you knew how viruses are created and tested, you would know that NONE of them are safer than the rest.. it all amounts to how fast the anti-virus software companies create and deploy the signatures (fixes) after a virus goes .. viral. Microsoft is serious about taking control of viruses, and the market, so they will stay on top of it.

For my job, I administrate over 40 pc's and so far only one virus has got past security essentials (all win 7 pro pc's), vs. having 40 XP machines last year, all with norton business AV, about 7 were infected, and two had to be wiped because the viruses that got thru were so destructive, there was no 'fix'.

Norton is a resource hog, misses anything new, and does a crap job of removal IMO.

windows 7 / 8 just use security essentials, good that name to get to the download page, it's free, it's better integrated into the OS, it uses very little resources, and if you knew how viruses are created and tested, you would know that NONE of them are safer than the rest.. it all amounts to how fast the anti-virus software companies create and deploy the signatures (fixes) after a virus goes .. viral. Microsoft is serious about taking control of viruses, and the market, so they will stay on top of it.

For my job, I administrate over 40 pc's and so far only one virus has got past security essentials (all win 7 pro pc's), vs. having 40 XP machines last year, all with norton business AV, about 7 were infected, and two had to be wiped because the viruses that got thru were so destructive, there was no 'fix'.

Norton is a resource hog, misses anything new, and does a crap job of removal IMO.

Thanks so much Kramer! That's exactly what the electronics tech told me. Sorry about my frustrations over the senseless massacre in Newtown. We are all upset and passionate about it. As a gun owner I have accepted the fact that some form of gun control is going to happen over this. It upsets me that the government is doing something about the gun part and ignoring the mental illness part which IMO was the cause in the first place.

PC Tools Internet Security
Windows Clear
Registry Kit

TODAY is the day to MAKE CERTAIN that your antivirus definitions are up to date.

Thanks so much Kramer! That's exactly what the electronics tech told me. Sorry about my frustrations over the senseless massacre in Newtown. We are all upset and passionate about it. As a gun owner I have accepted the fact that some form of gun control is going to happen over this. It upsets me that the government is doing something about the gun part and ignoring the mental illness part which IMO was the cause in the first place.

I can agree with that. They used to have government run mental institutions that at least kept the worst of them off the streets.. now there are zero, and the 'patients' are their families are stuck trying to scrape a living and care for someone who usually is difficult on the best of days. It's a sh*t situation for everyone involved. There really needs to be a profiling system to try to weed out dangerous people from owning guns, but then you get into the concept of applying guilt before someone even commits a crime, which is a really sore spot for me, as I don't believe that is the solution. We need better healthcare, and mental health should be covered. Enough said.

Firefox browser and AVG Antivirus. That's my combination for years, works great. Kapersky works well too, I ditched it because I'm cheap and wanted free...and AVG works.

I won't get into the gun issue, as far as I'm concerned gun control is hitting what you aim at.