Anti-Virus? Anti-Spyware? Both?
 

I was curious as to what the GFF members use to protect their computers. So, vote in the poll, and then tell us exactly what programs you use.

Personally, I don't use anti-virus OR anti-spyware... or even firewalls. I never get virus' because I'm careful about what I put on my computer and web pages I visit. I simply don't have a need for it. When I was more paranoid, I used Norton (2005 was the last time I think). It does a fair job of catching the virus', but eats your memory like none other.

Im kinda paranoid, so I use both, firefox + NoScript, full upgrates, firewall, etc... and from time to time a remote proxy for greater justice.

Almost forgot: I also use a virtual machine to do the stuff I'm not proud of.

Not using any of these softwares. I usually have a router (with no firewall, and only a few forwarded ports) between the net and my machine.
I frequently update my system and often check the GLSA (Gentoo Linux Security Announcements, something like a bugtracker for really critical package bugs for my linux distro).
And I'm kind of paranoid when it comes to security and anonymity. Never had a single virus on my system in my whole life. Assures me to keeping on with paranoia :D

I hate anti-virus software. It slows down a person's computer SOOOOOOO much, so needless to say, I don't have any on my computer.

As far as anti-spyware, I don't have that either since I've never had a need for it as I don't install retarded programs. (Didn't know any better when I was 16 or so and installed Kazaa.)

I use FireFox with a NoScript add-on and don't visit any shady sites. I figure that it keeps me safe enough. Although I do have my Windows Firewall shut off (so annoying trying to run P2P software with it on) and a single port forwarded to my computer through my router for Bittorrent.

Hehehe, it's funny how paranoid people get. Even though my last roommate is about as knowledgeable as I am about computers, he raised hell because I forwarded a port to MY local IP address through our router for bittorrent, saying I was putting "us" at risk. While it is true that I am putting myself at risk to a small degree, I've never had my computer affected in a negative way because of a single forwarded port, let alone another computer on the local network that doesn't have any ports forwarded to it.

Also, my computer illiterate aunt, who uses her computer for little more than e-mail and casual web browsing thinks I'm nuts that I don't use virus protection. She bought and installed Norton and needless to say her six-month old computer now runs like a used two-year old computer. >_>

You clearly haven't been using any good anti-virus programs, then.

But I digress, it shouldn't really ever be a problem, provided you know how to handle everything in the event that your computer does get a virus.

Actually, if you got infected with something, then there's a decent chance it might look for other local LAN IPs to propagate itself to, in which case your roommate's computer would be a pretty easy target.

AVG Free, and Spybot. Done. Easy to setup, unintrusive, no performance inhibiters, and high quality. Oh, and they are both free! Count me in!

I got called to a friends house today who wanted me to take care of a virus for them. I installed AVG and I decided to try that all-in-one anti-spyware program since it was free. The programs found the virus just fine, but couldn't take care of it. I'm not sure what the name of it was... but whenever you would search and click on one of the listed sites, it would forward you to a porn site search engine type thing. Quite annoying, they're very religious.

TheReverend, have you ever had a virus that AVG or Spybot (which was included in my all-in-one program) could not find, or at least could not take care of? I've had about two or three experiences like this with AVG.

Yes, but only instances of that AFTER the fact. As in, install AVG to try and fix an already installed virus. I'm a good web surfer, so I've never had anything big try to hit my computer as far as I know. But I do have roomies that use the computer often, and that's why I have it do a scan and destroy everynight :)

Basic answer = the combination of the two has never failed me yet.

I just have Symantec Antivirus Corporate edition installed, and nothing for spyware (onoes)

I installed Norton AntiVirus 2007 and ZoneAlarm Rro 7.0

I had neither until very recently, when a browser hijacker scared the shit out of me. I'm using AVG Pro and Spybot since then.

Ever since Firefox, I haven't used anything.

I run anti-virus and spyware programs once in a while for shits and giggles, just to see how messed up my PC has potentially gotten.

Use OSX now, so no need for anything. But I do run a Windows virtual machine in Parallels Desktop, and I have Trend Micro on it (school provided; corporate) and Ad-Aware installed.

They slow it down a lot in part because Trend is poorly developed. I use it so infrequently though that I don't mind too much. It's tolerable.

i use symantec antivirus corporate and no anti-spyware