Do I Need Antivirus Software

I remember my first computer virus as if it were yesterday. I should it consumed a term paper I'd been working on for nearly two months. Until my own computer was stricken, it never occurred to me that I might need virus protection. Computer viruses were always something that happened to someone else. I learned the hard way, however, that my computer was vulnerable. And since I didn't want to retreat into a cyber-shell and give up all Internet access, I needed to find virus protection.

Immediately, I found companies such as McAfee, Norton, The Shield Pro, and EZAntivirus that would supply virus protection for a price. For around fifty dollars a year, these programs would regularly scan my computer for viruses as well as protect against other annoyances such as spyware, which gathers information about you. The cost also usually included a firewall, which protects information from entering or leaving your computer without your knowledge, and a spam blocker.

I was a poor college student, however, and fifty dollars would buy quite a few cans of beans. I continued my search and discovered that some Internet companies, such as AOL and RoadRunner offered virus protection either free or for a small monthly fee. A closer look, however, revealed that the free protection offered was very basic and that there were often hidden costs to upgrade.

A Google search under free virus software turned up several sites that initially seemed promising, but again, reading the small print usually revealed that the site was offering a single free scan as bait to hook the computer owner into paying more for a full subscription. After some consideration, I decided to go with one of the reputable companies who listed their prices up front for my virus protection needs. It was a little pricey, which I expected, but at least I've never had to stay up all night frantically trying to recreate another term paper.