Why is it that so many people discount Free Antivirus Software applications? Of course I am well aware of the shotty programs available both for download as well as for free but its been my experience that are not only will free programs cost you nothing (so it never hurts to try) but in many cases are far superior to their costly counterparts.

There was a time, from the mid 1990’s up until in and around 2005 that I spent thousands of dollars on PC Protection yet somehow found myself unable to keep my data and my files safe from harm. Near the end of this time period I began to have a serious spyware infestation issue and much like cockroaches kept coming back no matter how many times I squashed the problem. This is actually what prompted me to begin searching for a new set of Desktop Security tools. My Security Research however was frustrating in the beginning as the majority of programs I was actually interested in wanted to take my money without offering me a chance to take things for a trial run. Having been throwing my money at countless programs and upgrades for nearly a decade, I decided that this was it and that I was no longer going to pay for something I knew nothing about and I wasn’t going to take the merchant’s word for it either.

I was presented with lots of flashy tools and obviously phony testimonials on just about every site I saw. Every website claimed to have the cure for anything that might ail your computer. After spending more time that I probably should have researching programs I felt forced into a corner and bought one last program but as I found out rather quickly, I should have kept looking. This program that shall for the sake of decency remain nameless delivered nothing it promised. The one thing I wanted above all else was one program that would detect, remove, and keep all threats out and away from my personal information. Well as I stated this program didn’t have half of the options is claimed to and though it did have a nice set of intrusion prevention tools it was a half hearted Computer Security application. It’s scans missed many different kinds of viruses and malware and did I mention that it was incredibly difficult to read or make sense of the user interface? Luckily for me the company was far more reputable and honest than their program was. I quickly picked up a phone, spoke with a service technician and got my money back.

So my search continued and during my second attempt at finding good Endpoint Security I was surprised to see that in forums and in blogs that many people had turned away from any programs that required payment, especially when you are asked to pay first. I compiled a list of different vendors that provided free software and I began downloading them and running them side by side to see how they performed. The one program that really stood out amongst the rest was eEye’s Blink Personal addition which is still free at their website, http://www.eeye.com.

On top of being free, Blink gave me what I was looking for. Its scans where more thorough and quicker than any other program I had tried and in a later test I found that its intrusion prevention tools outperformed all of its competition by leaps and bounds. As far as Desktop Security is concerned I’ve removed all other antivirus and antispyware applications from my machine and am still using Blink. eEye gives the option to upgrade Blink to Professional Edition at any time and given the fact that they allowed me to download it for free, test it and fall in love with it, I just may upgrade at some point down the line.

So the message here is one, don’t knock free programs until you’ve tried them and two, don’t pay for any Security Management without first trying it. I’ve found that companies with product worth your time and money generally offer a free trial or a flat out freeware version of their paid product. Be very wary of those companies who give you flashy screenshots and thirty pages of text to read about how wonderful their applications are. Chances are you’re in for a big surprise but it won’t be pleasant.