Why I like Avast for an Anti-virus solution

     There are many free legitimate anti-virus programs that one can download from the Internet, including  Kaspersky, Avira, AVG, Avast, etc.  My choice for a free workable anti-virus solution is Avast.  There are several reasons.  Avast is easy to install.  The main program interface seems simple and easy to use.  Daily virus definition updates are completed with an audio confirmation that I like to hear.  The free edition also seems to work well in detecting viruses and even in running pre-Windows-boot scans if necessary. 
     The fee-for-service versions claim to do a better job in detecting viruses, but I have found the free versions to be sufficient.  Also, the former usually come with extra services not directly related to an anti-virus program, such as a built-in backup solution, clean-up tools, and performance enhancers.  While these are nice, they can be utilized by other means with Windows' built-in applications, or will not actually gain you any noticeable performance power. 
       One caveat, however:  one should always have a backup solution in place, and in functioning order, just in case your system is infected with a virus that cannot be eradicated; or just in case a system restore will not produce the desire results or not work at all.  This should be so, whether you have a free anti-virus program or one for which you paid. 

The End of XP support

So.....Windows XP is officially a thing of the past.  Too bad, because, Microsoft had its first stable operating system.  While not perfect, it was tried and true.  Then came along Vista, the beast that made everyone upset.  We'll forget that Vista still exists, because Windows 7 made that a possibility.  While I am quite used to 7 now (and fairly happy with it), I still run an older PC with XP.  As a quasi-geek, I use several computers for testing software.  One of these is the only PC that I have bought brand new - with an XP license.  I have since been given other obsolete PCs from friends, accompanied by a legitimate XP license.  I also now have two used laptops with legitimate Windows 7 licenses.  One of these laptops also runs Ubuntu, which is a free flavor of a Linux GUI operating system (more to come about that).  And finally, I am learning Windows 8 via a 90-day trial version, just to get used to the OS, as more clients are now using the dumbed-down OS, er, I mean, the "user-friendly" OS.  Actually, I understand the philosophy behind the Apps look and feel of Windows 8, as Apple has dominated the tablet market with its Apps GUI.  Ah, but I have gone off the path on a tangent.  Even though XP is now no longer supported by Microsoft in regards to the common user, I'll still be using it.  I just hate the thought of having to buy a Microsoft license, when I don't need one, much less a brand new piece of hardware.  So if your PC ain't broke, don't fix it.  Keep running XP if it does what you need it to.  Now if you happen to be running an ATM machine with XP, well then we should talk about upgrading.  Something about a little word called security.  More on that later, too.