New 'Protect Your PC For Free: No-cost Anti-Virus and Other Software' discussion

11gardir

My personal standpoint on free security:
I don't like Norton or McAfee at all; I think the free stuff is actually better, and Comodo firewall knocks the socks off all the paid stuff.
I'm not keen on AVG - I don't think it provides good enough detection.
Anyway, this is what I run:
Comodo Pro Firewall & Defense+: http://personalfirewall.comodo.com/
- why? http://www.matousec.com/projects/firewall-challenge/results.php

Avira AntiVir Personal: http://free-av.com/
- why? http://www.av-comparatives.org/

Spyware Terminator: http://www.spywareterminator.com/
- why? only real, free, realtime, with HIPS spyware scanner that I know of

Spybot Search & Destroy: http://www.safer-networking.org/
- why? poor scan detection, but excellent passive immunisation and protection

SUPERantispyware: http://www.superantispyware.com/
- why? takes the place of high detection on-demand spyware scanner after the excellent AVG anti-spyware (formerly Ewido) was cruelly discontinued

I have never had a serious virus problem.
These, in total, use about 68MB of RAM.
Not too bad!
Less than Firefox or iTunes is using each at the moment.

Other stuff that helps:

McAfee siteadvisor (it's an exception): http://www.siteadvisor.com/
Firefox: http://www.firefox.com/

irishguymcr

Hi,

I have been using CCleaner for a couple of years now and it is an excellent application which removes unwanted remnants of programs in the Registry along with cleaning all the Cookies and Temporary files etc from your computer automatically. It also gives you the ability to stop programs running at Startup as well as Uninstalling programs without having to go to control panel.

Get it here:
http://www.download.com/CCleaner/3000-2144_4-10315544.html?tag=mncol&cdlPid=10876371

gazza_11

Office suite (Windows/Linux/Solaris OSes): StarOffice from Sun Microsystems ( http://www.sun.com/star/ ). Free OpenOffice.org ( http://www.openoffice.org/ ) developed from it and Sun now bases its offering on OO. Cheap/free (Google offers it) (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/staroffice/ ). Now for the big one: BLENDER ( http://www.blender.org/ )! AMAZING FREE 3-D graphics application for not only stunning static images, but for computer animation (think 'Toy Story'). Has been used in Hollywood for rendering in a Spiderman movie. Check out the amazing static images and movies at http://www.blender.org/ -- static images at http://www.blender.org/features-gallery/gallery/art-gallery/. Available for various OSes.

superscaper

gazza_11 wrote: »

Has been used in Hollywood for rendering in a Spiderman movie.

I think that's a bit misleading, it was only used for storyboarding etc in Spider-Man 2. We're not talking of anything we actually saw on screen in the movie actually being done by Blender. It was for pre production planning animatics etc.

pauldreed

A Free Online Password Manager. Think of it as a password manager, automatic login and personal vault all in one. With Passpack you can quickly login to websites, as well as organize and store logins and private notes. Save up to 100 entries for free! http://www.passpack.com/info/home/
I've had a free account for the past 6 months and it works a treat.
Now I can use really complicated passwords (and not forget them!!)

skiddly

I have tried a lot of different security suite programs and am none the wiser as to which is best,if as it seems it is better to have seperate progs ie avast antivirus,zone alarm firewall what in your opinion is the best free package, also i only have one pc but have been told if i put a router in it acts as a firewall as well is that right, or have i missunderstood.

skiddly

11gardir wrote: »

My personal standpoint on free security:
I don't like Norton or McAfee at all; I think the free stuff is actually better, and Comodo firewall knocks the socks off all the paid stuff.
I'm not keen on AVG - I don't think it provides good enough detection.
Anyway, this is what I run:
Comodo Pro Firewall & Defense+: http://personalfirewall.comodo.com/
- why? http://www.matousec.com/projects/firewall-challenge/results.php

Avira AntiVir Personal: http://free-av.com/
- why? http://www.av-comparatives.org/

Spyware Terminator: http://www.spywareterminator.com/
- why? only real, free, realtime, with HIPS spyware scanner that I know of

Spybot Search & Destroy: http://www.safer-networking.org/
- why? poor scan detection, but excellent passive immunisation and protection

SUPERantispyware: http://www.superantispyware.com/
- why? takes the place of high detection on-demand spyware scanner after the excellent AVG anti-spyware (formerly Ewido) was cruelly discontinued

I have never had a serious virus problem.
These, in total, use about 68MB of RAM.
Not too bad!
Less than Firefox or iTunes is using each at the moment.

Other stuff that helps:

McAfee siteadvisor (it's an exception): http://www.siteadvisor.com/
Firefox: http://www.firefox.com/

Hi i have looked at your reccomendations and downloaded but not installed as yet, more than one saya they are spyware plus antivirus protection will this not affect things as i was told never have 2 anti-virus progs installed

LittleJo

Hi,
Re: online password manager.
Suppose it was the ultimate in spyware!!!
You have handed over ALL your passwords and sites secured accordingly
Jo

cmatthews

After taking advice on free anti virus etc I have just installed AVG After going thru the first run proceedure I am concerned that the compulsory agreement to sharing personal info with third parties has no opt out facility. I am concerned that I am going to be bombarded with ads and emails that I would prefer not to recieve.Any reassurance from AVG subscirbers would be appreciated. Thanks.

GunJack

even better would be to use avast or avira instead...and far less likely to slow your pc down....