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InoculateIT PE is an outstanding antivirus program.
   technofile
Al Fasoldt's reviews and commentaries, continuously available online since 1983

InoculateIT PE: Free antivirus software that does a superb job


Feb. 14, 2001

By Al Fasoldt
Copyright ©2001 Al Fasoldt
Copyright ©2001, The Syracuse Newspapers

   Can you protect your Windows PC against computer viruses without spending any money?
   I would have thought the answer was "No" until a few days ago. On the advice of a friend with longtime PC experience, I downloaded and installed InoculateIT PE, an antivirus program for Windows from Computer Associates.
   InoculateIT is a no-strings-attached program, entirely free. If it were merely a good antivirus program that happened to be free, I'd tell you to check it out. But it's much more than that. InoculateIT PE is an outstanding antivirus program. The fact that it's free simply means you're crazy if you don't grab it now and install it immediately.
   The place to get it is http://antivirus.cai.com/. (There's no "www" in the address.) InoculateIT PE works with all modern versions of Windows, including Windows Me and Windows 2000.
   Computer Associates sells a standard version of InoculateIT for Windows PCs that are used in offices and universities. That version is widely regarded as one of the best antivirus programs available for networked Windows computers.
   I had wrongly assumed that InoculateIT PE -- the "Personal Edition" of the commercial program -- was a "lite" version lacking some of the effectiveness of its big sister. Boy, was I wrong. InoculateIT PE is "lite" only in the way Arnold Schwartzenegger is. There's no fat in this software at all -- no superfluous features. It just gets the job done. It's the Terminator for viruses.
   I've used the commercial version of InoculateIT for years, so I was already aware of one huge plus the commercial version has: Unlike nearly every other anti-virus program, the pay-as-you-go version of InoculateIT does all its work without dragging your entire computer down. There's almost no loss in efficiency.
   I was amazed to discover that the PE version performs in the same stellar way. You'll never sense even the slightest slowdown while InoculateIT is protecting your PC and your files.
   You can set up InoculateIT PE to scan all your files on all your drives in a general sweep for viruses -- a good idea, no matter how secure you think your computer is -- and you can set it up to scan all activity continuously. I do a full scan every day (it doesn't take long) and also let InoculateIT monitor file activity all the time.
   The only time I turn the full-time monitoring off is when I am about to install a new program. By right-clicking on the file I am about to install, I can have InoculateIT check the file for hidden viruses before I turn off the AV functions during the installation. Computer Associates does not keep track of people who use InoculateIT PE unless they register by giving Computer Associates their names and e-mail addresses. Free updates are available only if your register.
   This seems like a fair tradeoff. You get great antivirus software and Computer Associates gets another customer, at almost no cost for either party. Add the fact that InoculateIT is a contender for the best antivirus software you can find for Windows and you get a deal you can't refuse.