Windows Defender
Some time back, Microsoft got caught up in the security suite race and entered with what they titled “One Care,” and we were in on the beta when “Windows Defender” was known as “Microsoft Anti-Spyware.” It was, and still is, a free program and doing a commendable job. With other pressing matters, we dropped off of the beta program only to find it in Vista with its new name. I ran Windows Defender for a while until it became entangled with other software and set me back about a week. Recently, I have re-installed it and, so far, it is operating as advertised. It is enhanced with a new scanning engine and simplified user interface and alerts. It takes control of your programs using an enhanced software explorer. It also supports Windows XP Professional and is XP compatible – and free! You can get to it through your search engine, and it’s worth your while to give it a try.