MaxPC Article

[screwballl]

looks good Paul, the only 2 qualms I have was the failed mention of a realtime protector like Spyware Terminator and a much better firewall by the name of Comodo Personal Firewall. I generally also suggest Avira as it is a much better and stronger free anti-virus but the lack of email scanning in the free version tends to limit where I suggest it. In my case I actually use both AVG and Avira at the same time on my XP install (dual boot XP and FC7), I have never run into any conflict and Avira ALWAYS catches anything before AVG ever sees anything.
Comodo also has a great firewall leak tester: LINK to PDF file

[Telexen]

I'd give congrats on a good article, but I didn't read it because I don't use Windows

[Yellowhello]

Congrats man! I enjoyed reading your article on virtual machines a while back, and I'm sure this article will be a great read!

[One4yu2c]

Originally Posted by screwballl

looks good Paul, the only 2 qualms I have was the failed mention of a realtime protector[...]and a much better firewall by the name of Comodo Personal Firewall. I generally also suggest Avira as it is a much better and stronger free anti-virus...

Real time protection was specifically mentioned as the reason for recommending Webroot's SpySweeper (Spybot also offers real time protection, and I *believe* Windows Defender does too, both of which were recommended).

But keep in mind that when it comes to software recommendations, there are usually multiple capable solutions available, with the final recommendation being made at the discretion of the author's preference. For example, I pointed out Avira, along with a couple of others, as "standouts worthy of consideration," and went on to say that I "prefer AVG" (for reasons mentioned in the write-up). It's a preference, and not meant to deem the other standouts as choices no longer worthy of consideration.

The bigger picture is to help users keep their system protected. That starts with good computing habits (also covered in the write-up), and supplemented with capable software protection as an extra layer of protection. It doesn't matter so much which specific program a user chooses to run, so long as they're using a good one. With good computing habits, a user can keep their PC clean and clear of infection with either AVG or Avira installed, among a handful of others, and that same philosophy applies to firewalls, spyware scanners, and so forth.

[Jokerswild]

SBS&D FTW

[screwballl]

I guess as long as it is a suggestive article and not a definitive one like many of theirs then no qualms
its been so long since I've written for any publication that the suggestive versus opinionated versus definitive are a bit foggy to me nowadays

[One4yu2c]

It's definitive in that we showed how to clean out and restore a PC with specific steps, as well as prevent future infections. But that doesn't negate the options available. Had I pointed out Avira, Comodo, and Spyware Terminator as THE options, I'd be trading your software recommendation complaints for someone else's.

If there's a magical formula to please everyone all the time, share it with me and I'll market it.

[One4yu2c]

Originally Posted by Jokerswild

How about a link guy's.

For those that don't subscribe, you can now read the article online:

Heal and Inoculate

[RA1D]

dugg it!

[Yellowhello]

Congrats Paul, I'll be looking for that issue!