[snootyjim]

Well, I purchased my copy of Vista 64 bit about a week ago, just settling into using at the moment. I kinda knew before I bought it that 64 bit isn't massively well supported, but the increased speed of 64-bit software was crucial to me, so I decided to go for it.

Now I've come to look at the security situation, since security centre oh-so-loves to tell me I've got no antivirus, and I'm not really a fan of the Windows firewall, in all its tackiness. I had a little look around on the net, and it seems that support is absolutely pitiful at the moment, with very few companies actually supporting Vista 64 properly.

My problem is that I'm only 16, and I don't exactly have money floating around to hurl at security software - especially not after shelling out £900 on a new machine anyway. We've got a family license key for ZoneAlarm, but it's not compatible so that's no use to me at the moment.

I've read about there being some alteration coming in Vista SP1, which should supposedly increase compatibility with 3rd party firewalls, but I have no idea if that means that ZoneAlarm will work in say a month's time (in which case I get the combined solution I really want and trust, and for free as well). I was looking at NOD32 earlier, which appears to work with Vista, but it looks like it's only AV and Spyware. While it looks like a great piece of software, shelling out £25 for a half-solution isn't my idea of good economy.

If anyone has any ideas on what to do, I would really appreciate some advice