Positives and Negatives of Free PC Virus Protection

Is free antivirus software really any good? Sure, it's free but is free software good enough for your needs? In this article we explore the pros and cons of free antivirus software for your PC.

Positives and Negatives of Free PC Virus Protection
By Rowland C O'Connor

In this article we examine the pros and cons of installing free virus protection on your PC.

Ready? Then let's start. First the Pro, in favor of/in support of:

The number one point in support for free PC virus protection will be the obvious cost benefit of running free anti-virus software.

The secondary positive point is that some free anti-virus software is very well established.

The 3rd supporting point shall be that the more well known software will be updated with regular antivirus database refreshes.

A fourth big benefit is that Windows versions Vista and 7 will recognise various free antivirus packages as being "Windows Approved" anti-virus solutions.

For balance then let's listen to the other side, those opposed, the "Con" side:

Firstly, the point against is going to be that free software does not have any formal support process. This might be a problem if you are a business user and need dependable support arrangements.

And the second negative point is free antivirus software is sometimes not as effective at protecting your system against viruses as paid for protection

A third significant point against is various features available in paid antivirus protection such as spyware protection may not be available in free software.

Your fourth point against is the licensing agreements of free software may only cover home and non-profit use. As a business user, you may be ineligible to legally run free anti-virus software from some providers.

And 5th and last, although not necessarily the least, consideration against is Antivirus database updates may not be a regular or as comprehensive as paid for protection.

That's it, the pros and also the cons, the points in favor along with the points against.

So, who won? What are we able to conclude? Is free PC virus protection more good than bad? or more bad than good?

The reply seems to be "Yes" to both questions! Free PC virus protection is a mix of good and bad... It will be left up to you, the reader to make the decision which side, the good or the bad, outweighs the other.

About the author
Rowland C O'Connor has worked as a Microsoft Certified Professional for over 12 years and has over 20 years of experience with Windows. Rowland is the editor at Windows Performance.com, a resource with helpful tips, articles and videos showing you how to speed up your Windows computer.

Find out easy methods to protect your PC against viruses and malware at this PC virus protection site.

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