AntiVirus Reports : Should I pay for antivirus software?

Should I pay for antivirus software?

In our consumerist society, nobody wants to pay for anything they can get for free. But with the rapid evolution of internet technology, the value of security might outweigh its cost.

As hackers crash our operating systems and steal our identities, we feel unsafe, even behind the entrancing glow of the monitor. It's unsettling to wonder who is watching and when. It's hard to imagine facsimiles of ourselves signing up for our credit cards and ruining our lives. But as the internet evolves, so do our predators.

Not everybody has time to constantly monitor their firewall settings, and few people are interested in sitting hours in front of their own computer trying to figure out what's gone wrong. Most people would rather be doing what they do every day: social networking, emailing, checking sports scores and celebrity gossip, monitoring the presidential campaigns. Yet every time you visit your favorite site, you're opening your arms to the dangers of the internet.

While there is ample freeware available in the antivirus arena, most of it is insufficient considering the pace at which changes occur—anything can happen in real-time. Most of the freeware available can sufficiently detect adware and other potentially harmful viruses, but they cannot keep pace. Spybot Search and Destroy sounds lethal, but, like AdAware, you have to decide when your "bodyguard" is on the clock.

Payware is essentially different: it's full-time. Yes, it does cost the consumer money (usually no more than a very reasonable $20), but the protection payware offers is constant. Your antivirus should work like you do: in real-time.

Standard payware software from such reputable companies as Norton and AVG constantly monitors your computer for viruses, adware and spyware, malware and Trojans from various vantage points. Essentially, these programs construct a castle around your hard drive and personal information.

Not only does the payware do the investigating for you, but they also provide support systems such as firewalls and antispyware. Because of the options available with payware, some people experience issues with resource-availability. These issues shouldn't deter a smart consumer from kicking out a few bucks for necessary protection; all of the major payware companies offer a thirty day free trial, so you can find the software that works best for you.