I always recommend Firefox, AVG, Spybot, AdAware, ClamAV and Thunderbird first, as they are free solutions, and people often hate paying for software/subscriptions. But if they are looking for even more security, and want to pay more, then I'll recommend commercial anti-virus applications (Except Norton and Microsoft Live).
But mostly, I try to teach them common sense. Only use Firefox (or Safari, Opera, or Camino) to browse the Internet, and NEVER use Internet Explorer unless absolutely necessary. Don't use Outlook, ever. Always look at the link in the status bar before you click on it; if you cannot see an address there, be cautious before you click on it. Don't download stuff from 'sketchy' websites. Always scan anything downloaded from the Internet for viruses before you open the file.
If they are looking to purchase a new computer, then I usually recommend that they purchase a Mac Mini. For $600, you can get a computer that just works, is much less at risk of being infected by viruses, and comes with the most amazing "free" software I've ever seen: iLife. While this may not be the best solution for everyone, for a large number of [especially full or partial computer-illiterate] people this will solve almost all of their problems.
(Silly people. They think I recommend Macs so they won't have any computer problems. Little do they know, I recommend them so that I don't ever have to fix their computer ever again. 
)
Quote:
Originally Posted by GeeForce
I load my sister's computer down with so much anti spyware stuff, yet she still gets them from using LimeWire so much and not using common sense while doing it.
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There's an easy way to fix the problem with computer-illiterate people, LimeWire, and more viruses than you can shake a stick at. Go into their firewall and disable LimeWire from accessing the Internet. Even if they reinstall LimeWire, it'll still be blocked from accessing the Internet.