You know, this is actually a pretty valid question. Do some antivirus programs go a little too far?
Certainly we’ve all had an important email or two sent to the spam folder, and we’ve all had to deal with a constantly self-updating virus scanner shutting our PCs down while we’re in the middle of something so that it can install the new version. Some antivirus software really can be more of a hassle than its worth.
There’s no doubt, you need a good piece of antivirus software on your computer, but you definitely don’t need one that’s going to be more of a hassle to deal with than the viruses themselves.
Here’s a funny piece of trivia for you: When “worms” first hit the internet, a few companies worked to create benevolent worms. These worms would find their way into your computer through unprotected connections, and then patch up your computer security’s weak points to prevent malevolent worms from getting in.
Good intentions, but think about it: Benevolent or not, the worms were still eating up bandwidth, and they’d usually force your computer to restart so that they could install themselves properly! So needless to say, the makers of these “good worms” gave up that fight before long.
That shows a perfect example of computer security that you could say “takes its job a little too seriously”.
What you want is a computer antivirus software package that isn’t a pain in the neck to deal with. Self updating is a plus, but you know, we like if the software asks before restarting our computer for us.
This user likes McAfee, to be completely honest. McAfee Security Center has a wide, constantly updating database of known viruses, worms, Trojans, and malware, and it doesn’t simply block potentially dangerous websites without the user’s say so.
And that’s probably the most important thing. You want security software that is potent, that can stop viruses dead in their tracks, but you want to be in control.
McAfee is great at blocking incoming viruses and going on seek-and-destroy missions to eliminate whatever makes it in, but the full package is about fifty dollars, and that can be a turn off for some users when there are plenty of free antivirus programs out there, too. McAfee is worth the price, but if you want a simple, strong virus protector on the cheap, AVG Free is one of the best free virus protectors out there.
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