best buy

Antivirus

Antivirus

Anti-virus - You cannot just use any anti-virus program.  You must use the best at the time, and what is "the best" changes from time to time. You don't have to surf like a teenage boy to get viruses. No anti-virus prevents all viruses, but from year to year your goal is to install the one that is most effective that year.  The efficacy of these programs varies wildly, and some are even viruses themselves. Knowing someone who removes viruses all day long like myself or other reputable local computer repair people is the best way to keep current and stay protected. Do not trust Best Buy, Comcast, Century Link etc.  They strike huge partnership deals with large companies like Norton and Mcafee. Everyone makes money and you get a bogus program -- for free. Then you have to pay me to clean your computer later.

If anyone recommends Mcafee or Norton/Symantec write those people off as suspicious or confused. I could spend pages telling you all the ways these programs can screw up your computer. Suffice it to say this, these programs are bloated, slow, expensive, and get this, DON'T REMOVE THE VIRUSES!

Geek Squad

Geek Squad

The 3-card Monte players of the computer repair world. The stories I hear from my customers tell it all.  The wild prices and ludicrous lines of bull they are serving up make them THE service to avoid. You will suffer less personal indignity and loss of income going to ANYONE but them.

… I picture the Geek Squad people taking your computer into the back and then spinning a big wheel with bogus diagnoses on it to see what they are gonna tell you.