What is antivirus app are you using?

[lin robinson]

Well, I use AVG, as well and it's great. I am apalled at how lousy Norton is in comparison when it has to be purchased.

But here's the thing. This is my own computer, in my home. I am using it for everything I do. Some of that includes posting on boards like this for business advice. Some of it includes uploading files to a business website and receiving emails for orders. So does that suddenly make it a business computer that requires registration?

I suspect that many are in the same position, using their home machine, not a separate one at an office. Possibly stylus as well.

[monaghan]

Feel free to double check with Grisoft, however by my understanding (as an AVG reseller), once you use the PC for anything other than personal use then you require a full license rather than the free use license. To quote the download page

AVG Anti-Virus Free is only available for single computer use for home and non commercial use.

I would class editing & uploading your web site and receiving orders as commercial use. Given that you are using the PC for revenue generation, then you'll be able to offset the license cost against your business costs (or your accountant will).

With the low cost of the AVG product, I've actually upgraded the kid's PC to a full license and also added the spyware, malware and firewall even though I could have continued with the free version.

[lin robinson]

So I'm a pirate after all. Arrrrrrrrrr!

I'll look into that. Particularly if I start doing more business with this, as I plan on for the upcoming year.

[Peter Bowen]

I use a mac. What's a virus?

[lin robinson]

Something I find a lot less of since switching to Opera browser. About which I can't say enough good things, by the way.

(Don't get me started on the bad things about Explorer)

[monaghan]

Originally Posted by Peter Bowen

I use a mac. What's a virus?

I believe there were some Mac viruses even on the latest versions of MacOS, and I know you used to be able to get Norton for the Mac (I used to have to install it many years ago when I was in a company that used Mac). The Mac is not immune from infection, however at present, Windows seems to be the main target for the virus writers and given many are simple script systems, they are easy for the "me too" kiddies to copy & modify.

If you want a really good (technically speaking) virus, then take a look at the SQL Slammer virus from a few years ago, this was a proper well coded jobbie that did an excellent job of bringing down many corporate networks. However, it only did such a good job though because people didn't have a clue about what they were doing with SQL Server management. All the SQL boxes I was managing at the time had the 6 month+ old patch in place, so were running normally

Of course it's much easier to write a virus these days, not like the old days of having to build self replication code into an existing .EXE or .COM and re-vector the execution offset and then deposit a bit of terminate & stay resident code into the MS-DOS disk IO handler that could read a new floppy disk and self replicate onto the apps on the floppy disk.

[Verticals]

I always used to use Norton on my home computer, until version after version became so bloated that I started to suspect it was a virus.

Now I just use AVG.

[TWD-Tony]

AVG is good - but not free for business use (see above). Avast! is another good app... that's what we use now

[monaghan]

AVG is in effect free for business use as this would be a business expense and you'd be claiming this back when you did the year end accounts.

[findipaddress]

F-Secure with triple engine scanning system + antispy module (including kaspersky and lavasoft signature files) seems to be one of the best.
I use it and never got any problem.