I am buying a new computer, with Windows Vista. (I am about to be told that I should wait. Well, my current computer is dying a slow painful death, and I’d like to get a new one before I have to shoot the old one, if only to make file transfer easier. I don’t really have the option of waiting for SP2.)
I want to get some security software, but I don’t want to pay for it. I did a search on this, but ended up deeply confused. Also, I didn’t know if recommendations had changed since the advent of Vista. (Besides, anything that mentioned Vista tended to be more about the eeeeeevils thereof, and not particularly helpful for me.) Background: I used to be fairly tech-savvy, but I’ve been out of the software industry for a few years. I still probably know more about how my computer works than your average Girl On The Street, but I’m not to the level of booting an alternate OS.
I will pay for security software if necessary, but I’ve heard on these boards that the free stuff is just as good, so I’d rather do that if I can.
Also you can buy a new computer, and specify that it have Windows XP installed, rather than Vista. Some manufacturers may argue with you about this; seriously consider if you want to deal with a company that argues with you even before they’ve made the sale.
I think this is a really good idea; I would stick with XP if possible. IIRC, last week Dell announced that they are still selling XP on new machines.
As for security software, I use:
[ul]
[li]AVG free[/li][li]ZoneAlarm free from Zonelabs[/li][li]SpyBot Search and Destroy[/li][li]Ad-Aware from LavaSoft[/li][/ul]
Vista somewhat changes the security landscape with stuff like User Access Control, Internet Explorer’s “Protected” mode, and the included Windows Firewall and Windows Defender.
User Access Control is probably a significant benefit if can actually live with it (I turned it off after the first day) and you actually pay attention to it. IE’s protected mode is probably the best security idea (IMO) to come from Microsoft in years, but unfortunately it only works if the hellish UAC is left on. Bleh.
Firewall and Defender are far from top-of-the-line products, but they do protect you more infinitely than pre-SP2 XP.
The only thing that Vista’s really lacking out-of-the-box is a virus scanner, and the suggestions so far are probably worth looking into (AVG, Avast, etc.). Beyond that, time will tell if other precautions and/or programs are necessary… too soon to tell, I think.
AVG free
ZoneAlarm free from Zonelabs
SpyBot Search and Destroy
Ad-Aware from LavaSoft
Windows Defender
but ask for all the free OEM software that the retailer can supply. At a minimum you should get 6 - 12 month licences for things like Nortons or Trend Micro to try.
Thur, Apr 19, 2007: “Dell bowed to pressure from customers and dumped its Vista-only policy for consumer PCs by adding Windows XP as operating option on half-a-dozen machines.”