If you’re tired of Norton or McAfee getting into every nook and cranny of your PC and slowing it to a crawl, it’s time to step into the world of a much less intrusive, effective, and free (yes, absolutely FREE) anti-virus solution.
Most of you probably have already heard of AVG, but perhaps you’ve been unwilling to go from a “trusted” name to a free, no-frills option. Well, let me dispel your fears. I’ve been using AVG for the last three or four years (after re-installing Windows to erase every trace of the hated Norton from my machine) and life has been completely virus-free the entire time.
AVG works perfectly on XP and Vista, so no worries there. The free version updates automatically, runs daily scans, and integrates nicely with your email client for effective email scanning. I use Thunderbird as my email client, and the integration is seamless.
Finding the correct balance between security and performance can be tricky. For my security suite, I run AVG, coupled with the built-in Windows firewall, and Windows Defender (which I’ll talk about another time). I also use Firefox instead of Internet Explorer, further reducing my risk of viruses and spyware.