Absolute Beginners Guide to Security, Spam, Spyware & Viruses

In this chapter

• Is Freeware Really Free?

• Why Some Software Is Free

• Should You Pay for Security Software?

• When You Don't Pay for Software, but It's Not Free

• Tips to Avoid Software Duds

• Features You Want in an Antivirus, an Anti-Spyware, a Firewall, or an Anti-Spam Program

• Are Security Suites from Your Internet Provider Any Good?

There's a lot of software out there in the market to help you make your computer more secure. Some of it's free, some of it's paid, and some is halfway in between. What's safe and what's not? This chapter helps you decide between the various offerings and tells you what features you should look for.