What's the best free AV?

Well other way around free antiviruses is to join beta tests, actively help developers and they might reward you with full license. Thats very common way to get full featured payable antivirus. You have to work a bit but it's probably easier than paying for it. If they don't give the license, you had the chance to freely use their new tool. Of course you already understand the risks and responsibilities of using beta software right?
And this way you also create program to your taste if you have cool and useful ideas

But go to beta testing only if you're serious about it and bug reporting, not just because you MIGHT get a free license!

 

O.k., seeing as how this one I really did not give a fair shot to (was scared of the 15.7MB thing), I have now downloaded it and installed it on my machine. I shall now see how this one acts. I have nothing against AVG by the way, and still may revert back to it, but thought I would try E-Trust for awhile.

Thanks
Wildman

 

good luck with it. Its pretty easy on both the eyes and the system

 

Nope, this one is using quiet a bit of VM memory, or at least my computer is frequently adjusting this through windows. It's out of here. I most likely will be going back to AVG, or don't have a heart attack, I may even again try AntiVir. People had the wrong impression that I disliked the program, that was never the case, it was always the fact that it was hard to impossible to contact the server to maintain it, and H+BEDV appeared to not take much if any action to correct the situation. I have now noticed that the program is available on some of the better software WEB sites, and if H+BEDV would see clear to provide the VDF updates on more than just it's own site, this would no longer be a problem in my opinion. One can only hope!

Thanks
Wildman

 

'anyone tried this? looks interesting - including a firefox extension for 1.5

(no realtime by looks of things - could make a useful backup)'

WinPooch v0.5.6.1 can give you RealTime using Clam
http://sourceforge.net/projects/winpooch/

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am trying Anti-Vir at present
too early to give a view

 

I've been using AVG Free for the past 4 years, no problem what-so-ever, I've never had a virus, as long as you use some kind of IDS and a firewall, you're pretty much set, and I download alot of stuff as well, from alo of different sites, I scan every file before I use it with AVG, Avast, AntiVir, Ewido, and then upload it to jotti if it is <15MB, no viruses yet.

 

My son-in-law has AVG "free" installed on the system that my grandkids use, and started back in the days of version 6.0. They are 14, 12 and 8 years of age. You got any idea as to what these kids have been up to on the WEB? Thus far there have been no problems. Although I think he should have more security programs, the only other one that he has on that system is Zone Alarm (fire wall) "free". I also think he for the most part forgets about these two programs and lets them do their own thing. He is on that COX super duper connection by the way. Kids say it even makes DSL look like a snail.

I now once again have AVG "free" on my machine, and thus far it is acting very well. I like the ease of use and the ease of obtaining the VDF updates with this one better than any of the other "free" ones I have tried thus far. I will admit that this is a matter of personal preference, and may not be the cup of tea for everyone.

Thanks
Wildman