Antivirus software: a review

ANTIVIRUS SOFTWARE

Almost every computer comes with initial “free” antivirus software be it Norton, McAfee or otherwise. Most computers come with a trial version of an antivirus software already installed, but also often come with a disc to install off of as well. Usually these will do for their short trial periods, but once the trials run out they companies that created the software will require payment for their programs. Usually it is a monthly or annual payment. However, there are free options, some even better than the versions that have to be subscribed to.

Now, before going into some of the free options, please remember NEVER to have more than ONE antivirus software installed on a computer at a time. Before installing new antivirus software, make sure to uninstall the older one first. To do this on a Windows computer simply hit the “Windows” key on the keyboard and then in the search-bar type in"uninstall". Under the “Control Panel” options, select “Uninstall a program”. Then on the list simply select the program you wish to erase and on the top bar click “Uninstall”. After this is done, feel free to install whichever antivirus software is most fitting.--submitted by Treena

#1: Avast Antivirus Software, it can be obtained at www.avast.com. It is simple and easy to use for the average user. It is mostly automated, but leaves most current files on the computer alone except during the occasional scans that can be easily regulated by the user of not only what should and should not be deleted, but also what should and should not be scanned.

#2: Panda Cloud Antivirus Software, it can be obtained at http://www.pandasecurity.com/usa/homeusers/solutions/free-antivirus/. Panda is another very easy to use interface system and it is all automated, this is good for most people. The biggest drawback is to anyone who may have any “iffy” files on their computer, these may be auto quarantined. It would not be a problem for most users, however it can be a bit of a pain for anyone who actually writes programs or deals with any kind of server.

#3 Comodo Antivirus Software, it can be obtained at https://antivirus.comodo.com/new.php. As far as antivirus software goes, it is a bit of a loud mouth, which is good for some people, but many are apathetic to the idea of a software that likes to bother them. The interface is also set up for more advanced computer users. Comodo is not recommended for the casual facebook browser and email checker.

#4 Avira Antivirus Software, it can be obtained at https://www.avira.com/en/avira-free-antivirus. To be honest, Avira hasn’t gone through a lot of real world testing as of yet, but AV-Test regards it as having strong protection for computers. It also has a great customization and child safety features included within its settings.

#5 AVG Antivirus Software, it can be obtained at http://free.avg.com/us-en/homepage. While it is a popular antivirus system and it is free, this particular antivirus software and it has an average to moderate protection rate against malware and adware. It would probably suffice for most users for averag