Features
Software money-savers
Anti-virus
AVG Free Edition
Price: Free
Given that buying and updating anti-virus software is an expense most Windows users would cheerily do without, it's surprising that an excellent and long-standing and free anti-virus software, AVG Free Edition, hasn't had more attention than it has. It certainly deserves it.
The free version of AVG may look slightly clunky, but its appearance belies surprising power. It has a better success rate at finding viruses on your system than similar-known commercial scanners such as Norton AntiVirus or McAfee VirusScan. It allows you to run checks on demand and even schedule basic scans. However, unlike subscription-based antivirus tools, you'll have to update your virus definitions manually.
The downside to AVG Anti-Virus is a bit annoying, but understandable: there's no technical support until you upgrade to the paid-for version. It's also important to remember that, unlike most commercial applications, AVG Anti-Virus doesn't protect you against other threats, such as spyware or Trojans.
Alternative: Norton AntiVirus 2008 (£40)
Anti-spyware
AVG Anti-Spyware
Price: Free
If AVG Anti-Virus doesn't scan for spyware, the best option is to look for a cut-price program that does; and it happens to be another AVG program, AVG Anti-Spyware. Anti-Spyware works best when manually scanning your hard disk rather than active downloads.
AVG Anti-Spyware automatically updates your definition files for 30 days, after which you'll either have to upgrade to the full commercial version or update files manually.
With little discernible impact on system resources, Anti-Spyware automates the scanning process and scans files on execution. It can also scan inside archives and you can delete tracking cookies automatically. Again, there's no documentation or support for the free version, and no real-time protection. Even so, it's a great tool.
Alternative: Norton AntiVirus 2008 (£40)
Firewall
Sunbelt Kerio Personal Firewall
Price: £10 inc VAT
Protecting your PC from outside attack is best achieved by installing a firewall. The firewall built into Windows Vista (see Advanced Projects on page 144) may be more powerful than its predecessors, but it's still lacking in several ways. For example, it's difficult to tweak outbound filtering, which makes it hard to manage malware that might want to make an outbound connection.
That means that a standalone firewall program is still worth getting, and Microsoft sells its own protection, Windows Live OneCare, which includes anti-virus protection for up to three PCs. But you can do just as well with a cheaper product. There are two versions of Sunbelt Kerio Personal Firewall: a free one and a commercial version. The full version is certainly a tenner well spent.
Once installed, Kerio's simple tabbed window gives clear access to firewall settings and provides you with a whole host of useful extras, including the ability to block cookies and prevent sensitive data being entered into website forms.
Alternative: Windows Live OneCare (£25)
