Must have software hardwares

so just wondering which kinds of hardware you should have to protect your notebook.

is anti-virus needed for your computer? is it worth it? if so, which brand?
virus-shields "same question"

ad-pop is annoying, how do we get rid of it?

 

I've been using ZoneAlarm Security Suite for quite some time with more than marvelous results.

It's a bit of a pain when you first install it since you need to "train" the software to recognize your installed apps and Internet habits, but once you get past that, it becomes almost transparent to you.

It includes a powerful firewall, program control, anti-virus, anti-spyware, e-mail protection, privacy controls, identity protection, IM security and Parental Control. With all this you might assume its a BIG program to run on the background right? ... Wrong! it's not that big (compared to other solutions like Norton) and most importantly, it does not slow your system down to a crawl like the aforementioned app.

I also don't use Microsoft Internet Explorer at all! I prefer to use Mozilla Firefox which handles pop-ups in a much cleaner way than IE and it's also more secure.

Best regards,
RayanMX

 

Just want to ask does Zonealarm includes anti-virus as well? Coz I'm using Zonealarm Pro and it keeps telling me to get an anti-virus program... I just downloaded the free version of AVG but it didn't detect it...

 

I use a combination of AVG Free and Adaware SE. It's never failed me in two years of use.

 

I've used Norton AV Corporate edition since 2004. Up until last week, I never used a firewall. I decided to switch my XP Pro firewall on after reading a thread on here. I figured, eh, why not? I haven't had a single virus. Maybe I'm just lucky. I don't understand how people get viruses so much... they must look for them or something.

 

I'm in the same boat as you... I've been using NO anti-virus or firewall program for the last 2 years on my laptop and I still manage to survive in the internet... I was using Norton a few years ago but it slowed down my system too much... Anyway, I just installed ZoneAlarm Pro yesterday... Anyone knows if ZoneAlarm Pro has built in anti-virus? Mine keeps telling me to get an anti-virus program but it didn't detect AVG free...

EDIT: nvm, just release Zonealarm Pro does not have anti-virus... Only the Zonealarm Internet Security Suite have everything including anti-virus.

 

The biggest protection to my computer is common sense.

I use Firefox and I have a copy of Norton 2005 installed. It doesn't really slow things down and hog memory like the big system-wide protection that McAfee and Norton have. I keep Windows updated with security patches and all that. I run an ad-aware scan every now and then (and find no problems except the occasional tracking cookie).

 

I use Avast, Spybot, and Ad-aware. They are all great, free pieces of software!