PC World has a decent Antivirus comparison up. 3 free ones reviewed in there too. I recently switched a home machine from AVG to Avast, but now I’m wondering if I want to switch to AntiVir? Well, not on the basis of one review, but it is something to consider I suppose.
Also, Microsoft announced pricing and details for OneCare Live yesterday. I even got email about it today — apparently I’m a beta tester. I just hadn’t realized that… so… maybe I’ll uninstall Avast and give the Microsoft offering a try as a “real” beta-tester for a bit.
Pricing model is interesting: 50 bucks a year, but can be used for up to 3 computers. I can just about hear the howls of protest from the other AV and anti-spyware vendors! Gotta admit that for a paid AV/anti-spyware offering, that’s pretty dang cheap. And, as a beta-tester, it can be even cheaper. Follow that link for sign-up links if so inclined.
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February 8th, 2006 
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[...] A few days ago, I posted an article that included a link to PCWorld.com’s recent Antivirus review. Antivir was the top ranked free option, so I thought I’d give them a shot and see how it works. My home machine is still evaulating Microsoft’s OneCare beta (so far, all is well) so I decided to use a machine nearby that the wife and kids use when they’re in the office. Of course, I removed the existing av product and rebooted before starting. [...]
I’m beyond astonished that NOD32 didn’t manage to make their list, though it consistently garners acclaim as a potent antivirus solution. Sometimes, I have to wonder was PCW smokes when they publish rankings like this.
Microsoft is able to undercut other vendors’ prices because they hope to make it up in volume. Here’s the rub, though: it’s Microsoft. I don’t trust them to keep their operating system safe and secure in a timely manner, so why would I expect them to keep their AV/AS product any safer?