Free virus protection?

Many families have this question: Must we pay a yearly subscription for decent protection from viruses, worms, etc.? The basic answer from New York Times tech guy J.D. Biersdorfer seems to be, "you get what you pay for." He names some free anti-virus programs, but this is key: "You may find better technical support and a wider array of features in some of the antivirus programs designed specifically for home users."