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I haven't used antivirus software in well over a decade and I will no longer instruct anyone to install it. I have had no good experiences with antivirus softwa

I haven't used antivirus software in well over a decade and I will no longer instruct anyone to install it. I have had no good experiences with antivirus software and from what I have read over the last decade they seem to stop only the most flagrantly obvious viruses out there. These same viruses are easily stopped by teaching safe browsing techniques and running web browsers that auto-update with plug-ins disabled. Antivirus software gives at best a false security blanket. I've advised dozens of friends and family members over the years. The ages range from 12-80. It is typically not a quick process because everyone has questions. But I see this as a good thing because that is how you learn. I try not to ever give them the answer and just step them through the process. Most of the time they come across the solution themselves they just need someone nodding their head to get that confidence to continue. I'm not sure if it is a life-altering moment for them. Only had a couple switchers so far and I have had no complaints. Plug-in blocking in Chrome is so seamless that they don't see it as a hassle at all when they realize how it protects them.

novalis 14y ago
I think enabling better computing, independently of entry level know-how, to be something that sometimes has amazing effects. That is why I asked if you had that happen. I still remember when a neighbour came by and explained to me some Basic on the spectrum and how that led to me wanting to buy a motorola assembler book some years later. And how that turned me to being interested in softice and all that came later... that is why I asked. I mostly like v8 because it runs three.js stuff crazy fast.
sillysaurus 14y ago
Sorry, I haven't followed this discussion, so this may be offtopic, but... If your family or friends are using Windows, then Microsoft Security Essentials is free and absolutely fantastic. Speaking from personal experience, it's far better than AVG for example. (AVG bogs down the system; Essentials manages to maintain an active scan with almost no overhead.)
- reidmain 14y ago
  I've just had absolutely no good experiences with antivirus software. I can count on my hands the number of times they blocked an actual virus in my life. And those times were way back in the days when I was young, naive and using Limewire. I've found that if you've gotten infected while following my teachings then no virus scanner would have stopped it. Most of my friends and family do use Macs however so they is not as ubiquitous antivirus software for Mac.

novalis 14y ago

I think enabling better computing, independently of entry level know-how, to be something that sometimes has amazing effects. That is why I asked if you had that happen. I still remember when a neighbour came by and explained to me some Basic on the spectrum and how that led to me wanting to buy a motorola assembler book some years later. And how that turned me to being interested in softice and all that came later... that is why I asked. I mostly like v8 because it runs three.js stuff crazy fast.

sillysaurus 14y ago

Sorry, I haven't followed this discussion, so this may be offtopic, but... If your family or friends are using Windows, then Microsoft Security Essentials is free and absolutely fantastic. Speaking from personal experience, it's far better than AVG for example. (AVG bogs down the system; Essentials manages to maintain an active scan with almost no overhead.)

reidmain 14y ago
I've just had absolutely no good experiences with antivirus software. I can count on my hands the number of times they blocked an actual virus in my life. And those times were way back in the days when I was young, naive and using Limewire. I've found that if you've gotten infected while following my teachings then no virus scanner would have stopped it. Most of my friends and family do use Macs however so they is not as ubiquitous antivirus software for Mac.