Can I afford AntiVirus Software? The short answer is "Can you afford not to?" But there are some alternatives to the expensive products out there. What you need to do is be Diligent and Discerning while you weigh your options.
You need to be diligent at doing your research. What does your company use? What do your friends use? Have your read any reviews? Have you check the local stores like Best Buy, Staples, or Office Max? Have you researched on the Internet for free versions? Have you talked to any sales people? Wait do not do that until you are ready. WAIT do not do that at all.
What to do? What to do?
Obviously, do not shoot from the hip and buy the first product you see. Will it work on your computer? Make sure it will match up with your operating system for one thing. Also make sure that you have enough memory and hard drive space. These are basic checks. Look before you leap.
Now the Discerning part. My advice is to stick with the major players unless there is some compelling reason to use an off brand. In all honesty, I cannot think of a reason to use an off brand unless of course it is truly a cost thing. Most definitely stay away from free and do not rely on online scanners. The best protection comes from having software installed on your computer and keeping it up-to-date.
One last piece of advice. If you work for a large corporation then you may be allowed to bring home the corporate version. This is because they generally want the best protection all around and if an employees computer can be made more secure the better off the company will be. So check with your company administrator for proper policies.
