As far as what software….

I used to be a BIG fan of Norton. In fact, all Symantec products were on my good list. However, there have been some major advances by other companies. If the person can afford it, they should buy “Kaspersky” for their virus protection. It has BY FAR the largest virus definition database of them all. There is a free online scanner that takes a while to go through, but once it is done, it has found everything that can be found. That includes looking into the system restore volume without having to set it up to do that. However, the online scanner only finds the viruses and reports their location. It does not remove anything. But since it tells you where to find it, you can manually go in and delete one by one if you would like. However I reccommend buying their program and using that instead of McAfree or Smyantec stuff.

For spyware protection, it still is Webroot’s Spysweeper. It really is a great program, gets updated all the time (both definition-wise and the actual software is updated frequently as well). If you STILL don’t feel comfortable using Spysweeper (even though that is all you really need) you can go download Microsoft’s Antispyware Beta for free from http://www.windowsxp.com (the same place you get your updates). It is a fast scanner for those on the run.

Now, if you dont have the money to afford Kaspersky, go to http://www.milkdrop.com and download that. It is an open program developed by/for Linux but also works on pretty much every OS available except Mac’s of course. It has a very thorough scanner and a very large database of virus definitions. It also uses very little memory compared to other virus protection programs. All you have to do is manually set up the scan schedual and update schedual, unlike other programs that have it automatically update and scan. It’s not so bad after you take the 5min to set it up after installing. Plus its free and really good.

As for removal, Hi-Jack This! is a good program, but make sure you know how to use it before you just jump into it. It searches for pretty much everything going on on your computer while it is running, and then reports everything. Then you select which is bullshit, and remove it. Be careful, because all kinds of important windows components and your anti virus/anti spyware programs will also show up. So think before you click. There is even a detailed info button you can click on so that you have a better idea of what you are looking at.

As far as turning to Mac’s just because of viruses/spyware? That is awfully silly, dont you think? I mean, if you want to buy a new PC, go and buy one. Just make sure it is set up properly and is protected both hardware and software-wise. Also, keep in mind that just because someone knows something about computers, they dont know everything. Also, not all protection programs are created equally. There are a lot of free virus and free spyware programs out there, but most of them actually infect you with more viruses and spyware. So be careful. It just so happens that Adaware SE and Spybot both have spyware built into them. So dont use them. If you REALLY love those programs, and want to buy the full version, go ahead. The full versions do not have spyware built in. However, they do not cover a lot of spyware threads. Which means you could have taken that same $29.99 and bought spysweeper which covers way more and costs the same. Also be aware that updating your windows components is incredibly important. It is part of your operating system. Making sure the OS maintains integrity is a crucial part to your computer operating smoothly. If your computer is operating smoothly, you can get a longer life out of it, is works faster, and you are happier. In fact, the healthier your computer is, the less you should think about it. So if it is set up correctly by a professional, sometimes the updating and protection doesn’t seem as important as the stats on the computer because it is out of sight and out of mind. However, be assured, be reassured that it is one of the more important things.

You wouldn’t by a Racecar and put unleaded gas in it would you? So don’t buy a computer and not have it set up properly.

As a final note, many sales people in retail computer places do not know what they are talking about once you get past basic specs of a computer and basic ideas about computers. If you were to ask them why one processor is better than another, they would probably give a very generalized statement like “intel is more powerful than amd” or “64 bit processors make everything faster because it can do twice as much as normal ones” or even “dual-core computers are better”. However, this is not totally true, nor do most customers know what they are talking about either. Which makes the sales people sound like they know what they are talking about. But keep in mind that every person has different needs and should be planning ahead for the future with thier computer because they will have it for the next 5 or so years. Also, “smart friends” tend to have very biased opinions and never seem to know the whole story. They always feel like it is their obligation to save their friend some money, and think everything everyone else is saying is complete bullshit. Your smart friend won’t always be there to fix your computer. Hell, they may not even know how to fix it right if it does break, and they certainly dont get parts for free. So when it comes to service plans, buy them unless you REALLY REALLY REALLY know what you are doing. When it comes to virus/spyware protection, follow the advice i gave above.

And don’t trust anyone’s opinion completely. People are wrong all the time. Except for me. I know everything. Haha