anti-virus

[Harold III]

what do you guys usually do for anti-virus? Install anti-virus software or just keep a knowledge about your computer's status?
I have had my computer for 2 years but I have never been generous enough to buy a anti-virus software.

 

[Bleep]

I use antivirus software and a firewall. Be sure not to open any email attachments that you don't know.

There are free AV programs and Firewalls out there. You can download them, and use these programs for free.

You can also scan for viruses, for free...without downloading the actual program. The link below, is one option for online virus scanning;

http://www3.ca.com/virusinfo/virusscan.aspx

 

[Harold III]

my biggest concern is that the programs that I always leave on (like messengers, PWS, IE and so on) are already taking 46% of my resourse and my system tray space(blah), I really don't want more stuff running on my computer, especially when I am using 3d max (I'm broke and i don't want to buy another 256M bar right now)

I encountered Funlove these couple of weeks. it doesn't corrupt any executable files (even they are all infected) so I was never aware of it. but it does corrupt 3dsmax.exe files (every 30 seconds I suppose). so I had to spend 3 hours last night to find out what virus it was and to get rid of it. even it does cost a lot more energy to analyse a virus than installing av softwares, but I can learn something from it don't you think so?

 

[*PyRo*]

no antivirus will end up being suicide

 

[Harold III]

yeah i know but now it's been 2 years and I'm still living. so according to the law of inertia I'm still going to live another 2 years before I buy a new computer.

 

[alienAntFarm]

i have an anti virus but the down side of it is that u cant play games online

 

[chrönik04]

i do use antivirus hówever basic common sense goes a long way.

-c

 

[Harold III]

basic common sense?

 

[Dave]

I've been walking down the internet super highway for many years and have been hit several times. And I was using protection. The point is, walk down the freeway and you'll get hit!

As for the law of inertia, you may have forgotten the last and most important part: An object at rest tends to stay at rest and an object in motion tends to stay in motion with the same speed and in the same direction unless acted upon by an unbalanced force.

With all the unbalanced forces out there greedily consuming others' unprotected object, you're upping the odds that you will be one the longer that you go that road.

Besides, there's ways to make your computer safe and not "slow" it down too much! And there's plenty of tech savy people here that can help you with that quest.

Good luck.

Dave

 

[Harold III]

well I don't know... for right now I just want to learn something. I have been using av software before and I'm tired of them, actually I just want my computer running in the simplest mode (don't want my mom to ask me "what's wrong with it" all the time), and whenever I see something strange i'll try to fix it myself -- it's very interesting and feels like playing a game.

but when I start to have important data on my drive I'll have to consider software protection.