Dependable Free Anti-Virus Programs

[Ruddigore]

Since we have a thread about hard drive problems, I thought about starting this one. Can the computer gurus here share what are some of the best dependable free Anti-Virus programs for our computers?

I use AVG Free Antivirus on two of my laptops, Symantic Antivirus on two others, and McAfee on the other two.

(Not a computer geek by any means, though I have a fair bit of exposure to geeks.)

My only set policy on Anitvirus programs is avoid Norton like the plague. That evil program caused me nothing but trouble while I had it (internet connectivity problems, clogging my CPU, etc.) until I found a Norton Remove Tool to rid me of it -- for as you know, Norton will not allow itself to be deleted unless you happen to have some special something-or-other account. I have heard good things about avast!, which I have used on occasion to make sure my computers are clean. I don't like AVG because of the way it messes with Google searches.

Personally, I don't use any antivirus software, as the most dangerous thing I download is the 1953 D'Oyly Carte recording of Gilbert and Sullivan's The Sorcerer. If I ever have to hook up to an unsecured network for a long period of time, however, avast! will most likely become my antivirus software of choice.