There are many arguments made in favor and against Free Antivirus Software these days. Many opposed to such software, especially when dealing with PC Security state that these programs are often incomplete and full of holes themselves that increase the risk of infection. Those in favor of free antivirus software program have stated that just because its free doesn’t automatically make it subpar. In fact many supports of such software believe that a company that does not make their wares available for free even for a limited amount of time or for trial purposes are trying to hide the fact that they are selling inferior software.

So which side of the fence do I stand on? Having been an internet user since the early 90’s I’ve experienced just about everything the world of Computer Security had to offer. I’ve used bad, great, and even horrid antivirus software that did little to detect threats and even less to remove or prevent them from coming back. Granted most programs of lesser quality I sampled at the turn of the millennium when that business was just beginning to break out but I have used a few stinkers recently. It was after my last purchase in fact that I became a big supporter of free downloads even if it were only for a trial run.

Having spent more than my fair share of money on Internet Security solutions I had come to the end of my rope with all of these companies who boasted the "greatest program ever" but then forced you to purchase it before you could try it. I like many others had grown weary of using screenshots and company paid testimonials as grounds to make a sound purchasing decision.

It was at this moment that I began doing extensive Security Research in hopes of finding a program that would at least offer me a free trail if nothing else as I was badly in need of new Desktop Security measures. My initial searches turned up plenty of free downloads, some of which where easily obtained while others only looked free or forced you to jump through more than just a few hoops to get to the download. I was, at first very disappointed in the results my efforts had yielded though I forced myself to keep looking. It was during the latter part of my research that I noticed one name consistently coming up in blogs, product reviews, and even forums. That name was eEye. I decided to take a gamble and made a trip over to their website. Not only did I notice right away that they offered their prized Blink Personal Edition as a Free Antivirus Software download but their other applications looked strong.

Needless to say I downloaded Blink Personal Edition and was impressed right away as set up and ease of use lent itself well to my needs. The first thing I did immediately after installation was run a thorough scan of my registry, memory, and two hard drives. Interestingly enough the program found many threats that my older PC Security Software failed to detect. I was more than pleased with the first test run. I also activated Blink’s intrusion prevention tools which offer far more comprehensive protection than any other piece of security software I’d seen.

It is because of Blink that I will forever take the stance that all software should be offered as a free download even if it only provides the interested party with limited tools. If you find yourself in need of new Endpoint Security applications don’t buy anything before buying. We test drive cars to make sure it feels right and suits our needs. We also use that test drive to determine if the asking price is worth what the car brings to the table. Not all free downloads are going to solve your computer security woes however there are a few like Blink that will surprise you so don’t dismiss a program simply because its free, you might miss something great.