Microsoft ends support for XP

[BobT-47P15]

So now, there is no anti virus program from Microsoft as Windows Security Essentials has been

ended.  

 

What free security program, if any, is good?

 

Of course, the company would like everyone to switch to the new  8.1 system.

Do they charge to do that? 

 

[_shel_ny]

They charge for a new operating system. Exception............ when I bought a computer just before windows 7 was coming out there was a free upgrade included in the purchase to keep their sales from grinding to a halt.

[Eneto-55]

My advice as a computer systems builder (and as someone who has used computers since before Microsoft DOS):

Get a demo of Windows 8.1 (or play around with it on a friend's computer, or try it out at a store).  It is REALLY different from Windows XP.  

Then try out Windows 7.  (I think you'll find it much better than Windows 8.  Also, the talk about Windows 9 is that it will re-incorporate some of the stuff they trashed with Windows 8.  Win 9 is rumored to be coming out sometime in 2015.)

 

re: security:  I haven't tried this with XP, but I run Windows 7 without any 3rd party security programs.  I NEVER log on as the Windows Administrator while on the internet, and I don't OK anything that is trying to run unless I initiated it, and I know what it is.  (I heard this idea at a workshop at the Microsoft building in Columbus - the speaker was doing it with Vista, and his job was researching sites that are considered to be infected. He said that he never had any infections on his computer after he started doing that.  It is also the working approach strongly recommended by Microsoft.)

Edited April 8, 2014 by Eneto-55

[LAKOTA169]

I've been using AVG FREE for 3 or 4 years and it's been doing a good job. I hear AVAST is also a good one. I also run Malwarebytes (free).

[BobT-47P15]

Thanks.  

 

I'm no expert......just know enough to be dangerous when it comes to computers.  

 

If Microsoft 7 in more like xp, then I might prefer it.  

 

I have Vista on the laptop.....not that crazy about how it does some things.   

Edited April 9, 2014 by BobT-47P15

[TodFitch]

re: security:  I haven't tried this with XP, but I run Windows 7 without any 3rd party security programs.  I NEVER log on as the Windows Administrator while on the internet, and I don't OK anything that is trying to run unless I initiated it, and I know what it is.  (I heard this idea at a workshop at the Microsoft building in Columbus - the speaker was doing it with Vista, and his job was researching sites that are considered to be infected. He said that he never had any infections on his computer after he started doing that.  It is also the working approach strongly recommended by Microsoft.)

 

That is a good idea for any computer.

 

On the Mac the first user created on a new machine is, by default, a system administrator. Use that to setup your machine and to install any new software. But setup a non-administrator user account for yourself and use that for everything else including and especially while accessing the Internet.

 

Linux machines have the same capability to have separate user accounts with some being on the "sudoer" list (i.e. able to do system administration) and others not. Use that the same way.