Many options for malware detection, firewalls

Q: Regarding your recent column on malware and firewalls. Every time I think I’ve got a winner I either find it is lacking in one respect or causes system trouble. In years past Norton brought everything to a crawl. Zone Alarm caused problem after problem. I forget what went wrong with Kaspersky. The only one I’ve kept over the years has been Spybot. Currently my three home computers have a mish-mash of Zone Alarm, Commodo Firewall, Avast, AVG. What do you suggest? I don’t care if it’s free or not. — Don Imlay

A: I’ve written about several free programs for detecting malware over the years. But those aren’t the only options, especially when price isn’t a concern. I’m going to point you toward Cnet.com, a site I respect, for its reviews that include programs I’ve tested as well as some I’ve never used. It offers a more comprehensive look at a broader range of programs. Here’s a link that will give you the rankings for dozens of candidates:

http://tinyurl.com/csfs6a.

Q: I am building a gaming machine and as yet do not have an OS for it. I like XP better than Vista, but soon both will be outdated. What are your thoughts? — Allen Stamey

A: Let’s look at your options. Windows 7, which by all accounts is a real improvement over Vista, may be out as early as sometime in May. It’s the operating system of the future and it looks like a winner. The downside is that it’s usually smart to wait a bit — some say until the first service pack (the first fix) before moving to a new system.

Let’s eliminate XP. That would put you two versions back when Windows 7 comes out. Vista, even though it has its quirks, is faster and better than XP.

Me? I’d go for Windows 7 and take my chances. But if you don’t mind upgrading within a year or so, Windows Vista isn’t a bad choice. Many of the newest video cards have been optimized for Vista, so you’ll be able to wring every bit of performance from them.