We've got a new computer and need to install a virus-checker. What do people recommend - preferably one that's free or reasonably cheap and you can update it. Thinking about Norton Antivirus 2000 - any thoughts?

-- Anonymous, June 10, 2000

Answers

I've been using Norton Utilities & AV for over a year. I've found them fine Steph.
Utilities has avoided countless system crashes and been able to fix most Win95 screw-ups - which appear all to often for my comfort. AV is more difficult to assess as you would only become aware of it if it failed.
You can access regular updates of both programs from the net. What they don't tell you is that is only available I believe for 12 months - after that you need to buy an AV upgrade, which I've just done for #18 +VAT+pp to ensure I was covered for the Love-bug & mutations.

-- Anonymous, June 10, 2000

I've got another question - can someone tell me how to disable the cookie on this site that inputs your nickname and e-mail address? I normally use Netscape which presently will not let me in (I'm having to use Exporer) - I'd like to disable the cookie and see if I can then gain site access from Netscape.

-- Anonymous, June 10, 2000

I use Norton AV. Part of the standard "platform" we get at work. If it's good enough for (one of) the world's largest computer companies, it's good enough for me. And if it isn't, they'll just give me another. I' getting a 500MHz laptop on Friday. Yippee!!

-- Anonymous, June 10, 2000

I've used Norton AV for over twelve months now - I get an online update every month. This was free for 12 months but I've had to pay about 2.5 quid for the next 12 months. It has worked fine for me and has actually spotted a couple of nasties that came with emails.

Screach - I got a laptop last month on this computers for teachers subsidised scheme. How did I ever live without it?

-- Anonymous, June 10, 2000

Thanks folks, looks like Norton is the one to get.

Clarky, I don't think your problem is with Netscape as I run Netscape at home and IE at work and have more access problems at work.

-- Anonymous, June 11, 2000

We use the Symantec virus checker, which I think is the Norton one. The thing to watch is how the checker is set up. You can have a scheduled check set up, but the problem is, if it's set up to check once a day, any virus that gets in say via e-mail obviously won't show up until the next scheduled check

If the mail is read, the virus is up and running. It looks like you have to set the check for every quarter hour or some other short time period, or forget any scheduled check and just check every e-mail message as a matter of course before you read it, which is a bit of a pain.

Better if the anti virus is set up on the server.

Apologies if I'm preaching to the already converted.

-- Anonymous, June 12, 2000