By Bill Grogg

How should you determine what anti-virus software to purchase?

First, it is a good idea to read some reviews of anti-virus software in the trade press. This may assist you in determining which products have the features you are looking for.

Second, make sure that the product you choose is ICSA (formerly NCSA) Certified. ICSA Certification is obtained by products that detect ALL viruses that are known to be in the wild and most of the collection in the ICSA's zoo (see ICSA Certification for details on the certification program). This is a critical factor since you want to be protected from the viruses that are known to be circulating.

Other factors that may influence your purchasing decision are the product's user interface, ease-of-use, features, reputation of the manufacturer and their researchers, and product support offerings. You'll also want to consider how well the software gets along with the other applications running on a typical PC. This is usually discussed in the product reviews you'll see in the trade publications.

Once you have determined which software you want to purchase, it may be obtained direct from the manufacturer for the full retail price, at your local software store (though they may not carry a wide selection or the product you are looking for), or from this web site at discount prices (see Purchasing Anti-Virus Software). The advantages of purchasing through the Timberwolf Anti-Virus Information Center are: Discount price, wide variety of ICSA Certified products available, and single copies through enterprise-wide site licenses can be obtained. Through our affiliations with Amazon.com and CognigenPC.com, some software can be downloaded immediately after purchasing it.