At Tasty CMS we're strictly Mac people. Perhaps many years ago there was a big difference in price and speed between Macs and PCs but those metrics just aren't true anymore. For the average person who isn't looking to do professional grade video or audio recording and editing, who is surfing the web and listening to music on their MP3 player you can get a Mac for the same price as a PC. Not to mention the resale value of a used Mac is measurably better.

But I'm getting beyond the scope of this post.

If you do have a PC you should be protecting your computer from malware and viruses. And before you get conned into paying a high price year over year for high priced virus software consider using any or all of these great, free alternatives.

First, start with an online Safety Scan of your computer (Vista and Windows 7 users go here). This free scan from Microsoft will check for and remove viruses and improve your PC's performance.

When you've finished running your scan download and run Microsoft Security Essentials. This software promises to provide "real-time protection for your home PC that guards against viruses, spyware, and other malicious software".

Microsoft Security Essentials is a free* download from Microsoft that is simple to install, easy to use, and always kept up to date so you can be assured your PC is protected by the latest technology. It’s easy to tell if your PC is secure — when you’re green, you’re good. It’s that simple.

Microsoft Security Essentials runs quietly and efficiently in the background so that you are free to use your Windows-based PC the way you want—without interruptions or long computer wait times.

*Your PC must run genuine Windows to install Microsoft Security Essentials.

Next, download and install Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware software. They offer a free version, which scans for and removes malware when started manually. Run this on a weekly basis to keep yourself protected.

Lastly, check out Avira AntiVir Personal - Free Antivirus. Even though it's free it's still filled with robust features. The program offers a wide selection of scan customization, letting users fully scan both internal and external hard drives, run a preloaded scan or customize a scan. If you want anti-virus software with more features such as automated scheduling and scanning their premium version is worth checking out.