Which Virus protection

[tommyzulu]

I get a newsletter called Windows Secrets and they seem to suggest the following...
"
Nominees in the best-antivirus category

Since I received so much reader feedback, I'm not going to let it go to waste. I hereby declare the following to be your completely nonscientific, highly biased, totally reader-selected nominees for best-of-breed security software.

Number one on the list of components readers care about is antivirus software. I received recommendations for 13 different AV products. The most popular was ESET's NOD32, the second-most popular was Comodo AntiVirus, and tied for third were PC Tools AntiVirus Free Edition and AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition. All four programs have free versions except NOD32, which has a 30-day free trial.

For more information on the nominated products, visit:

• ESET NOD32
• Comodo AntiVirus
• PC Tools AntiVirus Free Edition
• AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition
• Virus Bulletin
• AV Comparatives

Favorite software firewalls come down to two

A handful of readers took the time to comment on their choices for best software firewall. The most popular — Comodo Internet Security — is free and includes the company's antivirus engine as well. The free ZoneAlarm Firewall was also lauded by one reader, but two others told us of their problems with the program.

Windows Vista and XP SP2 and later come with a basic firewall that's better than no firewall at all, but not much. (I don't consider earlier versions of the Windows Firewall workable because of these versions' terrible interfaces.)

• Comodo Internet Security
• ZoneAlarm Free"

Any comments - I've never seen these on your excellent site!

[JonathanT]

I agree with the "nonscientific, highly biased" part. Nod is shareware so it's not mentioned on this site.

AVG free and Comodo Internet Security (firewall) and ZoneAlarm free are mentioned.

IMHO Comodo and PC Tools AV are untested so not a reliable choice as an AV.

[kendall.a]

I am also a Windows Secret subscriber and just read the new edition. Personally, I take those recommendations with a grain of salt and don't put a whole lot of stock in them. They are basically subscriber's recommendations. One most consider the "source" of the recommendations. To the best of my knowledge, they were strictly based upon subscriber's telling them what they liked.

[christoph]

So am I, and though I did some reading in the beginning, I am not amused to find 'Firefox as the best browser' (Had a notion before it might be, no secret), and so far the only - no flattering - articles that were worth the time reading were by a certain Ian 'Gizmo' Richards.

Anyone know him?

[tommyzulu]

Thank you for your contribution to this...

It's really helpful to have your comments.

I will be far more circumspect about the newsletter from now on!