The 60-day Norton subscription on this computer is going to end in like two days, and I'm not going to pay for another. I don't trust myself downloading things without some sort of anti-virus software, so is there any free one that offers decent protection? I was using avast! on my old computer and seemed alright, but I'm not really sure exactly how much it protected me. Are there any other better free ones?

I haven't used Avira, so I can't make any comparisons involving it.

I used AVG for a few years. I stopped using it after something got through and had a party in my system files and wrecking my computer, forcing me to reinstall Windows. (I probably could've rooted the thing out, but used the lazy solution.) I've since switched to Avira and haven't had a problem.

Also, installing Spybot Search & Destroy and use the Immunization tool every so often is a very good idea.

I don't know about "better", but I use MSE, Ad-Aware, Spybot and Malwarebytes. Probably overkill, but I'm fairly confident in... being able to weed out nasty things.

And, since getting MSE (which is, I believe, Microsoft's competitor with Norton's, Avira, Avast, etc), I never actually got any significant malware (beyond what Spybot finds), though that may just be because I don't go to places where malware dwells. And it's free.

Malwarebytes or Kaspersky.

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AVG used to be good, but now it is just a bloated memory hog.

I'm using Avira AntiVir Personal and it's ok.
But I know what I am doing on the internet and do not trust everything blindly and don't download stuff you don't know or don't click on links from strange e-mails or messages in social networks and keep everything on my systems up to date.

I've only had viruses infecting my computer due to multiple windows xp security holes after I've had a router.
So updating all your OS and programs and being behind a router made everything fine for me.

Only my father is able to download viruses. >_> But I know what he is doing...

Also, you can always have a look at your processes if you think something is strange.

Avast, AVG, Avira, Ad-Aware, CCleaner, and Spybot Search and Destroy are all parts of my very large arsenal.

My very large arsenal that I have for when a client requests such things. My system only uses CCleaner, because I just don't get viruses.

CommonSense2010. 2011 is a little bugged, otherwise I'd suggest the newest version.

Sorry...I guess I take a big risk but I don't use it. :\ If something gets bad I have a program I run in safe mode...Spybot Search and Destroy. It works well.

First of all make sure you are using brain.exe .
This is apparently what Ex is using and it's definitely the only one that can guarantee virus-freeness.

According to a very recent test of a renowned computer magazine the best free anti-virus detection wise is from #8: Avira and a very resource friendly, yet still powerful alternative would be #7: Avast!.
If you're willing to pay for security #22: Bit Defender offers excellent performance and protection.

I use avira for my girlfriend, and she's yet to destroy her PC

Avira anti-virus and Comodo firewall. Never had any problems with either of them.

I have used AVG and Sophos anti-virus (sophos is only for ubc students)
But the newest AVG is nothing but bloatware, and both have failed to destroy a pesky trojan before... so I wouldn't recommend either

Haven't used an anti-virus for 4+ years, no issues.