ClamWin

While the word "ClamWin" sounds like something that came from the sea, this anti-virus software for Windows does have a few pearls gleaming inside of it. It may be just another of the myriad of anti-virus tools out there, but it does do its job, despite some difficulties and a simplistic layout. Obviously, it's not for everyone.

Starting out, ClamWin for Windows is a free program that can be procured from the site (clamwin.com). It's a freeware that is open-sourced, and they're looking for people to help them work on it and chip in for improvements. Is that a good thing? Well, it would depend on who you ask. If you are comfortable with that, then ClamWin can be a positive addition to your computer. Once installed, you will see that one of the drawbacks of this program is that it doesn't do the virus scans on an automatic basis. The user is required to manually scan whatever file they want to check for a virus. After that, there could be what is known as a "false positive," which is where the program will detect what it thinks is a virus. To be sure, the file must be scanned by another online scanning service to make sure it is a virus or just much ado over nothing. So, if you're looking for something you just set up running in the background to scan your computer while you're off sipping coffee or watching TV, then ClamWin most likely will not be for you. But, if you are someone who does want to check specific files and contribute to making a program like ClamWin better, then it will be something you agree with.

ClamWin for Windows isn't terribly user friendly, which will turn off a lot of people who are novices to computer scanning for viruses. For those with patience and looking for a limited span, this will fit the bill.

It's free! You don't have to pay for it.