Re: Which Internet Security Suite to get included with new computer?

Aaron wrote:
I am ordering a new computer (Vista Home Premium 64 bit) that offers an Internet Security Suite from Norton, McAfee, or Trend Micro in the purchase price.

I am seeking recommendations on which of the three to get.

I am open to advice ranging from one of them being superior, to they all are inferior, to which one sucks the least, or even the one easiest to remove without hosing the system before installing a different suite.

I also have available Kaspersky 7.0 (which I know will update when installed) with one more available computer on its license. It is running fine on two Vista Home Premium 32 bit systems.



You'll get nearly as many differing opinions as you will responses.

I'll start by saying that I don't think any security "suite" is a good choice. It'd be better to use smaller, less-resource-draining stand-alone products.

I had used, and recommended, Norton Antivirus and then Norton Internet Security, for many years, on Win98, WinNT, Win2K, and WinXP, all without any significant problems. I had used McAfee prior to that. But it's been several years since I've been tempted to try McAfee products. Their quality seemed to take a steep nose-dive after they were acquired by Network Associates.

However, when my subscription to Symantec's updates for Norton Internet Security came up for renewal (at a cost substantially higher than the preceding year's subscription), I decided to try less expensive solutions. I downloaded and installed the free version of GriSoft's AVG (http://www.grisoft.com/us/us_dwnl_free.php ). It proved to be easily installed, easy to use, and quite effective. Additionally, I was pleasantly surprised to see a small but very noticeable improvement in my PC's performance, once I'd replaced the Symantec product. Another free (for personal use) anti-virus product is AVAST! 4 Home Edition (http://www.avast.com/eng/avast_4_home.html), which is what I've used without problems on both WinXP Pro and Vista Business.

For a recent comparison of anti-virus products:

Retrospective / ProActive Test
http://www.av-comparatives.org/

Stick with the Kaspersky, which is superior to any of the suites being offered, and which you already own.

Vista's built-in Windows Firewall is adequate for most users, but not particularly easy to configure. Vista's built-in firewall, although superior to that of WinXP, is of a rudimentary nature, intended to meet the simpler needs of most home consumers (or business/enterprise clients already ensconced behind more advanced perimeter defenses).

One 3rd-party add-on (Sphinx's Vista Firewall Control http://sphinx-soft.com/Vista/) might make the Vista Firewall a bit more useful to you, but nothing but a completely independent product will be able to provide the detailed control you want.

There are two interfaces for Vistas built-in firewall:

1) A simplified one accessed through the Control Panel that is the only one most people see.

2) And the more advanced "Windows Firewall with Advanced Security (WF.msc)," accessed via the Start Menu's Administrative Tools folder, for the experienced user who wants better control.

Having said that, it's important to remember that firewalls and anti-virus applications, which should always be used and should always be running, while important components of "safe hex," cannot, and should not be expected to, protect the computer user from him/herself. Ultimately, it is incumbent upon each and every computer user to learn how to secure his/her own computer.



--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/555375

They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. ~Benjamin Franklin

Many people would rather die than think; in fact, most do. ~Bertrand Russell

The philosopher has never killed any priests, whereas the priest has killed a great many philosophers.
~ Denis Diderot
.

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