I never heard anyone with computer knowledge suggesting more than one AV on your computer. In fact, they usually strongly recommend against it, since they can conflict and cause problems.
Yeah, having two AVs on your system is asking for trouble. It’s possible the people you were talking to were referring to having two spyware detetction programs on your machine, like Spybot Search & Destroy and Ad-Aware. In that case it’s usually recommended to use at least two so that one program might catch what the other missed.
Perhaps your neighborhood geeks were thinking how a company should have multiple AV apps in different locations - eg: Trend Micro on the email server and Norton on the desktops, providing what we call “defense in depth.”
But two AV apps on one PC is just setting things up for a digital cage match to the death as each app will violently object to what the other app is doing, especially if a virus is found.
As for AVG vs Avast - whichever one you like best and will actually use is the one to get.
Uh, unless I’m being whooshed, I’ll point out that the OP’s link is not Avast’s site, and appears to be a third-party site that collects your email address. I don’t know if it’s malicious or just shady, but if you want Avast, use their official website. (Better yet, don’t trust me, do a Google search for “avast”.)
I’ve recommended using multiple AV tools (in series) to clean up bad cases of infection, but yeah, never more than one at a time on a day-to-day basis.
It won’t affect your router as that’s a separate piece of hardware, but it *will * affect your PC.
Not a very good idea, unless you’re prepared to go through the often arduous task of eradicating all traces of the previous AV program from the computer before installing the next. Some apps will peacefully go away just by uninstalling the app from the Control Panel, while others need special uninstall apps from the manufacturer, plus registry editing.
That said, there are online scans that can be run that won’t affect an existing AV program on your PC. I often use Trend’s free Housecall as a “second opinion.”
That’s how I typically do it - install one program, then run the machine through a couple of online ones. You’re right - installing and uninstalling AV software would be messy.
When I posted the OP, I was running head down for the vehicle, dodging sniper fire.
So, it’s my fault and I apologize for providing a less than acceptable link to the antivirus program.
Also, I’m having all the Geeks who mis-informed me about running 2 anti-V programs appearing before the Credentials Committee in August. They will be severely punished.
I think the number refers to software firewalls. The conflict potential comes from two types of software doing the same thing on the computer at the same time.
One reason why multiple antispyware software is OK is that they aren’t both running in the background. You can scan with Ad-Aware, and when the scan is over, scan with Spybot.
As for which is better, Avast or AVG, both are pretty much the same at stopping viruses, so it’s a matter of which you like. I’ll admit I like some things about the Avast interface, but either is fine. Virus Bulletin tests antivirus software and keeps a 100% list; any software that’s on the list is fine. (Their website requires a free registration.)
For firewalls, you’re probably well protected from outside attacks already, especially if you use a router (which acts as a firewall of sorts). You need something to protect against software being installed and trying to go out, however. ZoneAlarm is a good choice.
For spyware protection, there’s Spybot and Ad-Aware. I also like SpywareBlaster. The others clean spyware infections; SpywareBlaster stops your computer from being infected. It isn’t as thorough as the others, but also doesn’t have to be running in the background.
On the spyware tool thing - everyone should be aware that there are lots and lots of offerings out there that purport to remove or protect against spyware, but are at best, useless and do nothing at all(for the money), or are in fact trojans that open up your machine and invite all sorts of infection into it. Some of them have very professional and convincing looking web pages.
I’m not going to link to any of them, but if you want to see an example, here’s a Wiki page on one:
If you see a Windows computer that keeps popping up scary warning balloons out of the taskbar, saying there are large numbers of various different bad things to be dealt with, it’s almost certain to be rogue software.
I’ve been using AVG for a while and it’s solid and doesn’t hog resources. For antispyware, Ad-Aware and SpyBot are the industry dynamic duo. I’m behind a router and use the standard Windows Vista firewall. I do check my exceptions to make sure I’m not letting something unknown through it though. That’s a key thing to remember.